Found Deceased PA - Cassandra Johnston, 26, Philadelphia, 10 July 2021

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CTPDMom said:
I respect your opinion. However, I don't necessarily agree that she would have taken her meds. It's possible she was already off them, which may have contributed to a not well thought out decision to 'disappear'. Ultimately, we don't know which is was, though I do hope I'm right, because I'd love to see her come home safe.
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Her family mentioned that they were worried because of her bipolar disorder, and her mother said that she didn't even take any medications with her. This makes me think that she was regularly taking her meds. Why else would they be worried about that if she was already tapering off them?
She also talked to her mother that day, she said Cassandra seemed fine.
If she was experiencing withdrawal symptoms back then, she would have seemed disoriented and confused. Her friends would have noticed that too.
 
Shamrock1 said:
I agree, but wouldn’t someone have seen it happen? Unless she was clipped from behind and that driver just continued. I haven’t driven there at 6am on a weekend morning, though - do you think she could have been the only car (or one of two) around the curve? You can’t see the curve from 95, and I know there’s a merging road up a bit, but I don’t think those drivers could have seen something happen on that curve either. I don’t know.
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There’s still a decent amount of cars. You’d be surprised.
 
Shamrock1 said:
I have a question about her bipolar - and I’m going back to psych 101 in undergrad, so please forgive me for not getting labels/concepts accurate. Does anyone know how she might behave 7+ days unmedicated? Would she be more likely to do risky, impulsive things like gambling? (Just an example - obv casinos have tons of cameras and she hasn’t touched her $). Or would she be more likely to need a quiet place to nap? Or would she just become increasingly confused - needing help but not succeeding in making her needs known to strangers?

I guess I’m asking how “impaired” she would be right now, and if her loved ones know what that impairment looks like - again, apologies if I’m using outdated concepts.
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Can't really be predicted without more info. There is Bipolar I and Bipolar II. Both consist of depressive episodes and either hypomania in Bipolar II and mania in Bipolar I. Bipolar I is considered more severe. The up-mood in Bipolar Disorder may be euphoric or what's called mixed where people feel very irritable and angry.

So... We would need to know more about the characteristics of C.J.s Bipolar Disorder. Have there been more depressive episodes or hypomanic/manic episodes? What med is she on? Certain meds are more effective for depression (e.g. lamotrigine) and others for mania (e.g. lithium, atypical antipsychotics).
 
Shamrock1 said:
I have a question about her bipolar - and I’m going back to psych 101 in undergrad, so please forgive me for not getting labels/concepts accurate. Does anyone know how she might behave 7+ days unmedicated? Would she be more likely to do risky, impulsive things like gambling? (Just an example - obv casinos have tons of cameras and she hasn’t touched her $). Or would she be more likely to need a quiet place to nap? Or would she just become increasingly confused - needing help but not succeeding in making her needs known to strangers?

I guess I’m asking how “impaired” she would be right now, and if her loved ones know what that impairment looks like - again, apologies if I’m using outdated concepts.
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BBM In this video Casey's sister describes what Casey might be experiencing without her medication.

Family of woman gone missing last Friday searches for her across city - Video
FN says Casey has mental health issues and it's unclear if she has her medication with her. FN says, "She could be, you know, very paranoid in a manic state just not knowing how to get home, not knowing who to call."
 
bpinkbinkie said:
Yes! I saw it too, it popped up as a live video, I just searched through the app and it's not there anymore.

I did find a video on Twitter; and I allowed to just screenshot it here?
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Screenshots aren't allowed but you can post the link to twitter if it is MSM or LE. MOO
 
PommyMommy said:
BBM In this video Casey's sister describes what Casey might be experiencing without her medication.

Family of woman gone missing last Friday searches for her across city - Video
FN says Casey has mental health issues and it's unclear if she has her medication with her. FN says, "She could be, you know, very paranoid in a manic state just not knowing how to get home, not knowing who to call."
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Thanks! I usually can’t watch anything with kids around so I appreciate this :)
 
PommyMommy said:
BBM In this video Casey's sister describes what Casey might be experiencing without her medication.

Family of woman gone missing last Friday searches for her across city - Video
FN says Casey has mental health issues and it's unclear if she has her medication with her. FN says, "She could be, you know, very paranoid in a manic state just not knowing how to get home, not knowing who to call."
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I think this is a very real possibility. I wish I could say that Cassandra’s friends and family would be well aware if she were manic at the time of her disappearance (or even hypo manic — which is often the first sign that full blown mania is nearing the horizon), but it’s not always that simple. My mom has Bipolar I and the flashing red warning signs of mania always seem so glaringly obvious to me in hindsight, but I rarely see them for what they are before then.

I’ve also witnessed this lost and confused behavior firsthand. My mom went on a routine grocery store run on the day before Thanksgiving one year and got lost — because she was in the midst of a manic episode (unbeknownst to our entire family). Apparently, she drove past the store and just kept right on going. She literally drove until she ran out of gas on some backwoods country road over an hour away. She didn’t have her cell phone (left it at the house), so she just sat there until some Good Samaritan stopped to ask if she needed any help. This ANGEL SENT FROM GOD was a nurse, and she recognized something was off right away. She got my dad’s number from my mom, called and explained the situation, gave us directions, and then sat with my mom for over an hour until we could get there. We were so unbelievably blessed that day, and I can’t imagine how terribly different things could’ve been if someone with ill intentions had been the one to find my mom instead.

The lost and confused scenario is a very scary and real possibility here, IMO. Also — IF Cassandra is having a manic episode or even just on the cusp of one, this might explain the argument w/ friends and her early morning departure. Running the red light. Leaving her phone behind. The concerned boyfriend. Perhaps he’d been having that dreadful, niggling feeling that only seems to make sense in hindsight. Maybe earlier flags only formed the full picture when she didn’t come home and he couldn’t reach her.

Major mood episodes can occur for many different reasons — even for those who are med compliant. Although, episodes occur much less often and are usually much less severe for those who adhere to a strict treatment plan. It may also be that mental health has no bearing on what happened to Cassandra or where she went. I only hope that she’s okay and finds her way back home soon. I know her family must be sick with worry.
 
cujenn81 said:
The lost and confused scenario is a very scary and real possibility here, IMO. Also — IF Cassandra is having a manic episode or even just on the cusp of one, this might explain the argument w/ friends and her early morning departure. Running the red light. Leaving her phone behind. The concerned boyfriend. Perhaps he’d been having that dreadful, niggling feeling that only seems to make sense in hindsight. Maybe earlier flags only formed the full picture when she didn’t come home and he couldn’t reach her.
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I've been concerned for Casey since Day 1, but now I am really scared for her. Saturday is going to be two weeks with no word from her, no sign of her car and no activity on her bank accounts. Couple that with the fact that Philly is experiencing some of it's highest crime statistics right now, I am praying she is okay.

Please come home safe Casey!
 
thebodyfarm said:
Her family mentioned that they were worried because of her bipolar disorder, and her mother said that she didn't even take any medications with her. This makes me think that she was regularly taking her meds. Why else would they be worried about that if she was already tapering off them?
She also talked to her mother that day, she said Cassandra seemed fine.
If she was experiencing withdrawal symptoms back then, she would have seemed disoriented and confused. Her friends would have noticed that too.
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I still respectfully disagree. See cujenn's post above. I know of similar instances where people are off their meds and it doesn't not become clear to family/friends immediately.
 
Is it true that if she’s in a mental health facility, the place can’t confirm or deny she’s there because of hipaa? So the family would have to wait for Casey to reach out?? Have the parking lots of horsham clinic, Belmont, friends, etc been checked?
 
ms_x_to_the_m said:
Jumping off my post.
Is it possible that the tiff had to do with boyfriend? Calling her to get home, friends maybe wanted her to stay. So she left in a rush, losing the phone in her haste. Then gets home, things get "complicated". Explains why he went back home, to finish cleaning up?

However, maybe I read way too many crime stories. All is made up scenario, of course.
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I am coming around to something along these lines, but am not quite there yet. I agree that it doesn't make sense to jump in a car and head to Philly at 8 am unless you know she left before 6 am. By all accounts, her leaving at that time was fairly sudden and premature.

My first guess is that she may have gotten into an accident or pulled over and had a medical event. Hopefully I will be in the area to check that Woodhaven exit tomorrow. Wish I still had my drone...
 
missingm said:
I am coming around to something along these lines, but am not quite there yet. I agree that it doesn't make sense to jump in a car and head to Philly at 8 am unless you know she left before 6 am. By all accounts, her leaving at that time was fairly sudden and premature.

My first guess is that she may have gotten into an accident or pulled over and had a medical event. Hopefully I will be in the area to check that Woodhaven exit tomorrow. Wish I still had my drone...
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I drive to Jersey and back to Philly every day for work and each day I have been taking a different route to look for her car. There really aren't too many Ford Focus hatchbacks out there, I think I have seen two.
 
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