Found Deceased PA - Linda Stoltzfoos, 18, Bird-in-Hand, Lancaster County, 21 June 2020 *arrest*

[JerseyGirl]

18-year-old Linda Stoltzfoos was last seen on a farm on Stumptown Rd. Sunday night, according to East Lampeter Township Police. She never came home from a church service.

Stoltzfoos is Amish and had attended a church service Sunday. The service was most likely held at someone’s home on Stumptown Rd., as is traditional in the Amish community.

She was walking home from church prior to going to her youth group when she went missing.

Stoltzfoos’s parents reported her missing on Monday morning.

The search effort wrapped up at sundown, but may continue Tuesday.

Search continues for 18-year-old woman in Lancaster County

 

[swanniee11]

@JerseyGirl , I wonder if she walks with others to the youth group on a normal basis and didn't this time. Very concerning. IMO

 

[Rotten apple]

This is pretty local to me and I teach at a small Mennonite school in Lancaster County. The communities (both the English and the Amish) get along very well from what I’ve seen and heard. As for the area being touristy, it definitely is- however with the Covid 19 precautions, tourism is definitely NOT where it would be during the summer. The Lancaster County/Hershey area draw HUGE numbers of people, but Hersheypark isn’t even open and Lancaster County is still in the “yellow” phase of reopening until Friday so many of the outlet stores are closed as well. So while I’m sure there are some tourists in the area, due to the circumstances there are far fewer than would normally be seen.

 

[cass523]

"She was walking home from church prior to going to her youth group when she went missing, a searcher told FOX43. She never showed up at the youth group.

So far, it’s unknown if she left willingly or unwillingly. Her parents told police it was out of character for her to leave without warning.

“There’s no real explainable reason why she would be missing,” said Lt. Matthew Hess of the East Lampeter Township Police Department.

Middlecreek Search and Rescue organized a search of the area, along with Bird-In-Hand and Ronks fire companies.

The majority of people in search crews, however, were area community members. Search crews spent all day searching ground and terrain.

Other volunteers brought food and water to help get searchers through the hot day, when temperatures went up to 89 degrees.

Several canine teams were also out, as well as a search drone.

Search operations were based at Hand-In-Hand Fire Company.

The search effort wrapped up at sundown, but may continue Tuesday.

“We don’t have any indication of criminal activity at this point in time,” Hess said. “We're just crossing all of our Ts and dotting all of our Is to try to figure out what might be going on.”

Search continues for 18-year-old woman in Lancaster County

 

[TTF14]

This is pretty local to me and I teach at a small Mennonite school in Lancaster County. The communities (both the English and the Amish) get along very well from what I’ve seen and heard. As for the area being touristy, it definitely is- however with the Covid 19 precautions, tourism is definitely NOT where it would be during the summer. The Lancaster County/Hershey area draw HUGE numbers of people, but Hersheypark isn’t even open and Lancaster County is still in the “yellow” phase of reopening until Friday so many of the outlet stores are closed as well. So while I’m sure there are some tourists in the area, due to the circumstances there are far fewer than would normally be seen.

What do you think the chances are she was in contact with someone with plans to meet up and run away? Mostly, what do you think the chances are that she was in (electronic) contact with anyone at all?

 

[Rotten apple]

What do you think the chances are she was in contact with someone with plans to meet up and run away? Mostly, what do you think the chances are that she was in (electronic) contact with anyone at all?

I think it is absolutely possible that she had access to a phone and was able to meet someone. Many Amish families have phones for business reasons and use them to communicate within their community. I don’t know her family or her at all so I can only speculate but it’s definitely a possibility. JMO, MOO, IMO

 

[TTF14]

I think it is absolutely possible that she had access to a phone and was able to meet someone. Many Amish families have phones for business reasons and use them to communicate within their community. I don’t know her family or her at all so I can only speculate but it’s definitely a possibility. JMO, MOO, IMO

Thank you.

I suppose it would be known by now if anyone else was missing? Another teen?

 

[Rotten apple]

Thank you.

I suppose it would be known by now if anyone else was missing? Another teen?

I’d imagine it would be, especially if it were another Amish teen.

 

[Rotten apple]

Also- that part of Lancaster county is only about an hours drive from Philadelphia, and particularly Route 30 which runs through it can be taken the whole way to the NW part of Philly.
IMO, JMO

 

[swanniee11]

I think it is absolutely possible that she had access to a phone and was able to meet someone. Many Amish families have phones for business reasons and use them to communicate within their community. I don’t know her family or her at all so I can only speculate but it’s definitely a possibility. JMO, MOO, IMO

Really? I would think if they did, not every family member would have one. The father ( in most cases) could have one but do you think the children would as well? I'm trying to wrap my head around her taking a phone, going to church, expected at her youth group and no mention of a phone missing, or that she had one (yet). This could be? I'm not arguing just trying to see all points of view.

 

[am80]

Also- that part of Lancaster county is only about an hours drive from Philadelphia, and particularly Route 30 which runs through it can be taken the whole way to the NW part of Philly.
IMO, JMO

I live in Lancaster, and commute to Delaware County occasionally. Philly is a two hour drive on a good day. I think there is more to this story than we know. The Amish community are very private, it wouldn’t escalate to this level unless they suspect foul play.

 

[Hereshecomes75]

You don't suppose she may have tried hitching a ride to FL do you?

We have a sizeable Amish/Mennonite community where I live, Pinecraft, in Sarasota.

Ah, Sarasota, or as we call it, Lancaster County South. So many Amish and Mennonites vacation there. We have lots of long-haul van drivers In the area who take groups of Amish people to Florida, but it’s usually over the winter. I’d think a driver would find it odd to be asked to take one young woman to Florida. And I feel like someone would have known and said something after she was declared missing if she went with a group and just didn’t tell her parents.

 

[TTF14]

I live in Lancaster, and commute to Delaware County occasionally. Philly is a two hour drive on a good day. I think there is more to this story than we know. The Amish community are very private, it wouldn’t escalate to this level unless they suspect foul play.

Sadly, I agree.

 

[Rotten apple]

Really? I would think if they did, not every family member would had one. The father ( in most cases) could have one but do you think the children would as well? I'm trying to wrap my head around her taking a phone, going to church, expected at her youth group and no mention of a phone missing, or that she had one (yet). This could be? I'm not arguing just trying to see all points of view.

I don’t know if she personally had one, but I do think it’s possible that she’s had access to one, most likely through a family member if not her own. My family is in farming, and they go to produce auctions with a lot of Amish buyers and they all have phones there. So while Linda may not have a personal phone with her, she may have been able to make arrangements to meet someone. IMO I don’t believe this is the case, but it’s not out of the realm of possibility.

 

[oviedo]

Police said Stoltzfoos may be at risk for harm or injury.

POLICE LOOKING FOR MISSING 18-year-old last seen in Bird in Hand

Well this is not good at all IMO

 

[Hereshecomes75]

It’s pretty well known around here that Amish teens often have cell phones and Facebook accounts. Our public libraries are closed now due to COVID, but the Amish sometimes use the public computers there. So it’s possible Linda could have met someone online.

I’m curious whether Linda had a job outside of any family farming or business. If she did, it would certainly widen her circle of acquaintances, making it more likely for her to come in contact with people her family wouldn’t know.

 

[JerseyGirl]

PEOPLE article:

Manhunt Launched After Amish Teen Fails to Return to Home from Church Service in Pennsylvania

 

[TTF14]

I don’t know if she personally had one, but I do think it’s possible that she’s had access to one, most likely through a family member if not her own. My family is in farming, and they go to produce auctions with a lot of Amish buyers and they all have phones there. So while Linda may not have a personal phone with her, she may have been able to make arrangements to meet someone. IMO I don’t believe this is the case, but it’s not out of the realm of possibility.

I live in an area where a lot of Amish produce is brought to sell in local stores. And sometimes the Amish teenagers do the selling/manning the produce stands, etc. If she had any kind of job in the outside world (i.e. a restaurant like Shady Maple) she could have met someone.

 

[Coppertop15]

My Amish cousins mostly have cell phones. So it's possible. But.. this doesn't feel right to me. I'm very worried for this poor girl and her family.

 

[ilovematt]

Police said Stoltzfoos may be at risk for harm or injury.

POLICE LOOKING FOR MISSING 18-year-old last seen in Bird in Hand

I wonder what this means. Would it be based on her being naive or too trusting, sad or sick? It almost sounds like something said regarding potential for self-harm or illness.