UPDATE IN ELIZABETH ENNEN CASE:
Elizabeth Ennen 'Endangered': Police investigating another missing Texas teen
http://www.examiner.com/missing-persons-in-national/elizabeth-ennen-another-missing-teen-texas-police-say-they-re-investigating
LUBBOCK, Texas -- Lubbock Police Lieutenant Roger Cox confirmed Friday that detectives are investigating another missing teen case, this time out of Lubbock, Texas.
Two teenage girls have recently gone missing under suspicious circumstances in Texas, Hailey Dunn from Colorado City, Texas, who disappeared Dec. 27, and Elizabeth Ennen of Lubbock, Texas, who disappeared just nine days later on Jan. 5. Colorado City and Lubbock are about two hours away from each other.
Click here to read the latest about Hailey's disappearance.
Elizabeth went missing Jan. 5 after babysitting for her older boyfriend's family, Luddock Police Lieutenant Roger Cox told Examiner.com Friday morning.
Elizabeth babysat the children at the Carriage House Motel where her boyfriend's family was living at the time, he said. The Carriage House Motel is located just off Hwy 27 and the 289 Loop.
After babysitting, Elizabeth was dropped off in front of her home late at night, around 1:30 a.m. Her home is located near the corner of 42nd and Avenue L, about seven miles north of the motel.
Elizabeth reportedly forgot her purse in the car. When the people she babysat for noticed the purse, they went to return it to her.
That’s when they learned Elizabeth never made it inside her house, and she was reported missing shortly after by her mother, Virginia Ennen. Police classified her case a "runaway."
The Center of Missing and Exploited Children have listed Elizabeth as an "endangered runaway" on their website.
Elizabeth vanished without her purse, cell phone, medication, coat, or any of her personal items. It was reported temperatures dipped into the high 20s in Lubbock that night.
Scroll down for more complete details surrounding Elizabeth’s disappearance, as well as a description of Elizabeth and contact information for police. Click on "Subscribe" button above to receive email notifications of this author's Missing Persons articles.
Lubbock Police Update
In a phone inquiry to Lubbock Police about Elizabeth's case, Lt. Cox told this Examiner.com reporter late Thursday afternoon, “The circumstances surrounding Elizabeth’s disappearance sound suspicious to me.” He said he would review Elizabeth’s case and call back Friday with an update.
As promised, Lt. Cox called Friday. "I've had a chance to review the case and speak to detectives. Elizabeth's case remains active.”
"I've reviewed the report and detectives are investigating and following up on leads. They are reviewing Elizabeth's cell phone records and have talked to potential witnesses, including Elizabeth’s friends and family. They are contacting her friends again," Lt. Cox said.
He added, “When a girl is missing 17 days under suspicious circumstances, it has to be investigated.”
“Detectives believe Elizabeth is a runaway and that she’s in no danger. However, they are not willing to take a chance and are investigating,” he said.
Lt. Cox confirmed the details surrounding Elizabeth’s disappearance.
“Detectives have been talking with Elizabeth’s older boyfriend. They will exhaust all means before giving up on the search for Elizabeth,” Lt. Cox said.
Lt. Cox confirmed Elizabeth was babysitting at the Carriage House Motel. He said it's a place that rents rooms for cheap and that people can rent rooms by the week.
Asked why Elizabeth was babysitting there, Lt. Cox said her boyfriend’s family was living at the motel at the time of Elizabeth’s disappearance.
"That's why Elizabeth was babysitting there," Lt. Cox said.
Concern was raised on the Facebook page about the Carriage House Motel located just off Hwy 289 in Lubbock. People questioned whether it was a safe place to leave a teenager to babysit young children.
It's in what some people call a rough part of town.
Several reviews on the Trip Adviser website confirmed those concerns. One potential customer said, “I was scared to stay there,” another said they would rename the motel the “Crack House Inn.” Click here for reviews.
Asked if he knew why Elizabeth’s mother feels her daughter’s case has been ignored, Lt. Cox said, “We have some 45 new runaway cases. Most of the time these kids run off to their boyfriend or girlfriend’s family or friends and are later found. When it goes on this long it’s got to be investigated.”
He also said Elizabeth’s case had not seemed unusual in the detectives’ eyes.
Lt. Cox added, “A lot of time people take in runaways, and you can’t arrest them all for trying to be good Samaritans.”
Circumstances surrounding Elizabeth’s disappearance
Elizabeth babysat for close friends Wed., Jan. 5, and was dropped off at her home in Lubbock near 42nd and Avenue L, two blocks west of Interstate 27, in the middle of the night at around 1:30 a.m.
She forgot her purse inside their car, and was not wearing a coat. According to WeatherUnderground.com, temperatures dropped into the high 20’s that night.
When the family bringing Elizabeth home noticed she had forgotten her purse, they went to her home to return it to her. Once they arrived, they discovered she had never made it inside.
Elizabeth's mother said she does not have her medication with her, and that she doesn't believe Elizabeth would take off, and especially without her purse and other personal belongings.
According to the Facebook page set up as an informational and support site for Elizabeth’s family, Elizabeth’s mother said she was on medication for a mental illness.
As the days pass, her family fears the worst.
"You know a 15 year old girl, no purse, no cell phone, no clothes, she wasn't even wearing a heavy coat. Why aren't we looking harder?" asked Mary, Elizabeth's aunt.
Reports indicate Elizabeth's mother feels her daughter's case has been pushed to the side because she was classified as a runaway. According to Lt. Cox, the case is now being actively investigated.
A Facebook page has been set up: Find Elizabeth Ennen: Missing from Texas.
Description
Name: Elizabeth Ennen
Nicknames: Beth, Lizzie
DOB: May 17, 1995
Date Missing: Jan. 5, 2011
Sex: Female
Race: White
National Center Case #: NCMC1163199
Hair: Sandy
Eyes: Brown
Height: 5'3"
Weight: 135 pounds
Who to contact
Anyone with information about Elizabeth's whereabouts should call the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at (800) 843-5678 (1-800-THE-LOST) or the Lubbock Police Department at (806) 775-2811 or (806) 775-2865.
