Found Deceased CA - Blaze Bernstein, 19, Lake Forest, 2 Jan 2018 #1

[Voice4theSilent]

Thanks, and yes you're right. He's not wearing glasses in the photo. So maybe he doesn't wear them all the time.

I still think it's notable though that his mother made a point of mentioning that he needed his glasses....

( BBM )

ETA: It may not apply here, but some people do remove glasses for photos. A friend does it all the time. Not sure why...

I agree with you too about the more important significance of him appearing upset when he was picked up by his friend.

None of it sounds good at this point from any angle..



JMO

For what it is worth, I wear contacts but can’t sleep in them and could never wear them for days on end without taking them out and wearing my glasses. My loved ones would know something wasn’t right if I took off for days on end without my glasses.

 

['Ailina]

Thank you so much for your input. Wanted to add that nothing on his FB page jumped out to me regarding his sexuality either but looking at his father’s page he seems to be very supportive of all lifestyles. If this was the case, I can also see why it wouldn’t be released to the media, unfortunately. I would really like to see this case treated differently than the Bryce Laspisa one was. Holding pertinent information from the public to try and shield the family or Bryce did not help find him and now here we are years later and he is still missing. Heartbreaking.

Where are you, Blaze?

Nothing jumped out at me regarding his sexual orientation either -- purely the connection that came to mind regarding my personal experience.

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[Voice4theSilent]

Something else I noticed is that the official missing poster states he was last seen walking away at 11pm. The timeline released from the family states they got to the park at 10:30pm. They were at the park for a good 30 minutes before BB walked off. Would like to know what they were doing or talking about in that 30 minutes.

 

['Ailina]

That's a very good possibility. I attended college on the other side of the country from my family as well. I never told my parents about the troubles I was having when I first went away to school, I knew my mom especially would panic. So this scenario wouldn't surprise me in the least that he painted a cheery picture to family and friends to keep them from being concerned.

Agreed. I can tell you from personal experience -- project involvement levels, or at least what people witness of it, can drastically, drastically fluctuate when a person is overwhelmed and/or dealing with depression crises. And I can also attest some of us are very, very good at keeping it all in, even from people we're closest to, ESPECIALLY when there are high levels of expectation.

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[Strangeworld]

Interesting to note they are saying the last message was sent from his phone, not that Blaze sent the message. I wonder if the last text message sent from his phone was not from Blaze, and the nature of the message indicated this?

 

[Seajay]

I think because as time goes by, more little tidbits of information are coming out. Some are to clarify prior reports, others are new information to add to what we already know.

The way I understand it is, he called a friend to pick him up and take him to the park, which is 5 minutes away from his home. Friend said he was upset, but hasn't said about what. It was somewhere between 10:30 pm and 11:00 pm. Supposedly now we hear they were suppose to meet a third friend. Friend went to the bathroom as Blaze walked into the park. Friend did not join him but waited for a text from Blaze which never came, so friend went home. About 4 am friend realizes something is wrong and goes back to park to look for Blaze. He's not there.

In the meantime, parents didn't realize Blaze had left the house after they all had dinner together, they thought he was in his room for the night.

So I'm hoping this friend who gave him a ride knows why Blaze was upset and who he was going to meet. Apparently Blaze text another friend and said something that now makes his parents think foul play. This was at about 11:30pm, half hour to an hour after he entered the park.

What do 19 year old guys do at 10:30-11:00 at night, in a park? Sexual encounters or drugs are the only thing that comes to my mind. He sure wasn't there to shoot hoops.

 

[Seajay]

Thought you would want to know about this story from ABC7.

http://abc7.com/body-of-man-found-in-burned-car-in-angeles-national-forest/2867532/

Not that I think it's related, but this happened in the same time frame of Blaze going missing. Angeles National Forest is a ways away but in So Cal, distance means nothing with a car. FYI

 

[Elainera]

The "friend" was a female?

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No it was a male who took him to the park. It was a female friend he supposedly texted.

I thought at first it was a female but re-reading the article I now believe the word "she" is in reference to the attorney who relates the story:

The park is five minutes away and they got there about 10:30 p.m., the attorney said. Bernstein went off alone into the park while his friend waited back in the car, the attorney said.

Bernstein’s friend eventually began sending text messages to him when he didn’t return, but did not hear back from him, she said. The friend left and then returned about 4 a.m. to look for Bernstein again.

“He didn’t have anything with him,” she said.

bbm

https://mynewsla.com/orange-county/...isappearance-of-college-student-from-oc-park/

I had considered other scenarios, too (stated in other posts)...

Perhaps, though, if he really was upset...
Perhaps he was meeting with a girlfriend who was breaking off a relationship?

this could be hard for him to take...

Just a thought... :thinking:

bbm I thought of that as well. But Blaze was only in town for the holidays, so it's a bit unlikely he has a girlfriend there. But not impossible.

Around 10:30 p.m., Bernstein texted his address to a friend, who came to the home and picked him up.

They drove to Borrego Park together, where they were going to meet up with another friend. While the first friend waited near a restroom, Bernstein walked toward the park to meet the other friend.

About an hour later, he sent a final text to a female friend, and then his phone apparently stopped working. The friend who picked him up said he never returned, and he left.

Blaze's phone was turned off at 11:30 p.m.

Bernstein's parents said he didn't have his ID, wallet, money, credit cards or glasses with him.

http://ktla.com/2018/01/05/universi...g-after-going-to-meet-up-with-friend-at-park/

bbm This makes it clear it was a male friend who drove him to the park.

Just jumping off the mention of "restroom"...FWIW. Not done catching up may have already been brought forward...

:thinking:

Snipped from the link in opening post...

...The friend who drove him to the park, who has been interviewed by the Sheriff’s Department, went to the restroom while Bernstein walked into the park toward Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park, Voght said. The two parks are linked by a trail.

Another possibility, could Blaze have come back out of the park while the friend was in the restroom, found the car empty and walked ... elsewhere? Back home? Something happened at another place?

Nothing jumped out at me regarding his sexual orientation either -- purely the connection that came to mind regarding my personal experience.

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bbm - Isn't this unusual in itself? Don't teenagers usually write about their bf's/gf's and relationships a lot on fb? Is Blaze gay but struggles with it? Just speculating.

 

[dub]

The fact of the friend leaving after looking for him also gives me possible hook-up vibes. Under this scenario I can see the friend thinking that Blaze didn't return because he hit it off with the other person and they decided to take off, this idea maybe being solidified when he entered the park looking for Blaze but didn't find him, so the friend leaves, thinking Blaze is having a grand ol time with whoever he met.

I don't think this is drug related because his parents have stated that Blaze was very anti-drug and if it was weed related (assuming Blaze didn't consider weed a "drug") I don't think he would be buying weed in a park at night since recreational weed became legal in Calif on Jan 1st. Since Blaze was 19 I think he was legally able to buy it.

In Colorado, Washington, and Oregon you have to be 21 to buy recreational weed. I think that's the case in other states where it's legal but those 3 I know for sure.

Not positive that's the case in California but I'd be surprised if it wasn't.

That said, I think it's also really easy to get a medical card in California. Maybe it's harder than it used to be, or harder if you're under 21 than if you're over, but I have a buddy who got one there in the mid 2000s and he said all you really need to do is ask.

 

[iscaremyself]

i wear glasses and must have 6 pair scattered around.
He might have a dress pair and a night pair. So leaving glasses rings no bell.
Now leaving the wallet, if he typically carried one says 'I don't want ID on me'.
Was cash left in the wallet I wonder?
It seems the friend was strictly a ride not backup.
I would have told my backup come looking for me if I'm not back in 20.
A rendezvous had never occurred to me but yes it seems plausible.
So the phone records would be key..the meet was arranged somehow, via text or app or landline.
I can understand the friend leaving..I hate to wait.
But back at 4 am?
What did the text to the lady friend say?
The father said he might be hiding? That's a strange thing to say..
sound the alarm but he might be hiding?
Maybe the stress makes you speculate out loud with no real basis.

 

[Elainera]

Regarding glasses: I have needed glasses since I was a teenager but in my teenage and young adult years I didn't wear them because a guy had told me they make me ugly :facepalm: So if he was going to meet someone out of romantic or sexual interest it might make sense if he left them at home. Presumably he knew the area well enough to find his way around without the need for them.

 

[tarabull]

Jan 1 - 2 was the (super) full moon --- just thinking outloud...

http://www.moongiant.com/phase/01/02/2018

It was also wolf moon...fwiw.

https://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/moon/wolf.html

 

[Elainera]

Regarding the medication he takes, his mother says

Blaze takes medication daily and needs it to function

http://abc7.com/family-launches-search-for-pa-college-student-missing-in-oc/2869043/

The article also says there are "frantic" searches under way but no further details are in the text. Maybe more is told in the video which doesn't play for me. Maybe someone else here can watch and relate what is being said? I would like to know where they are searching now. Presumably the park and wilderness area.

My hunch right now, he's in the park, deceased. jmo

 

[LaborDayRN]

I am also still wondering about a possible 'self harm' situation.

Something hit me when the parents said that he had made them dinner before he went missing. Then he leaves his belongings behind and has his friend drop him off alone at the park at 11 pm...19 can be a very rough age....:candle:

Sadly, I feel this may be the case as well.

 

[Whiteorchids]

Thought you would want to know about this story from ABC7.

http://abc7.com/body-of-man-found-in-burned-car-in-angeles-national-forest/2867532/

Not that I think it's related, but this happened in the same time frame of Blaze going missing. Angeles National Forest is a ways away but in So Cal, distance means nothing with a car. FYI

I hope it's not him Seajay. This is so weird remember when Bryce Ladpisa went missing at Castaic Lake and there was also a burned body beyond recognition the same day or day after I can't remember but confirmed it wasn't him. Maybe it was? very coincidental.

I joined the help find Blaze Bernstein page. If they organize a search I will help as I'm not that far. There was an abandoned car in the general area people on the FB page took pictures of it because it was odd to be left there it looked like a newer light colored Cadillac. It was reported to LE by many people they said OCSD were investigating it. Someone said earlier they had seen an African American male removing items from the car. I just got home so I need to hop on over to the FB page to catch up. I hope he's found today.

Being Blaze was upset, left his credit cards, ID, wallet glasses and needed medication maybe he wasn't planning on coming home? I hope he didn't take his life. Other deceased people have been found at whiting Ranch as I recall. I remember hiking there a few years ago and spotted a couple of mountain lions. It's not a good place to be out there alone and not prepared with proper equipment.

 

[JerseyGirl]

Before leaving home, Bernstein had been in lengthy communication with his friend using social media apps that do not leave a permanent record

Bernstein was last seen late Tuesday at Borrego Park near Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park, where he had gone to meet a friend.

“The friend told investigators that he went to the restroom, and when he came out Blaze had walked off. We do not believe foul play was involved at this point, and the friend is only a witness, not a suspect or person of concern.”

“We have a search-and-rescue team of 25 deputies and canine units fanning out across the area today in search of clues."

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-oc-missing-student-20180106-story.html

 

[luckylis]

I've looked at all the articles posted and can't find one that states the friend told detectives Blaze was upset. What MSM is this information comiy from?

Also, what the parents were quoted as saying recently, specifically the father: "it's ok for you to come home.." implies to me they've done a little more digging and acknowledge their son might be distraught or willingly left on his own. When you suspect foul play, a parent's words to their child isn't going to be "it's ok for you to come home ". That statement implies BB is in control of whether to come home or not.

http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2018/01/05/missing-student-from-foothill-ranch

 

[Whiteorchids]

Blaze Bernstein was last seen late Tuesday at Borrego Park near Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park, where he had gone to meet a friend.

“The friend told investigators that he went to the restroom, and when he came out Blaze had walked off.” We do not believe foul play was involved at this point, and the friend is only a witness, not a suspect or person of concern.”

“We have a search-and-rescue team of 25 deputies and canine units fanning out across the area today in search of clues."

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-oc-missing-student-20180106-story.html

So what was the text to Carrie Braun? It was a male friend who took him to the park. Why would his family think the message signaled foul play but not LE? LE always says no foul play suspected just like they kept saying that about Bryce Laspisa. So when LE say that It means nothing to me. I use my own judgement.

Perhaps if LE thought Bryce had met with foul play they could have located him by searching in a more aggressive and quick manner. Five years later and he still hasn't been found.

 

[crhedBngr]

Thanks, and yes you're right. He's not wearing glasses in the photo. So maybe he doesn't wear them all the time.

I still think it's notable though that his mother made a point of mentioning that he needed his glasses....

( BBM )

ETA: It may not apply here, but some people do remove glasses for photos. A friend does it all the time. Not sure why...

I agree with you too about the more important significance of him appearing upset when he was picked up by his friend.

None of it sounds good at this point from any angle..



JMO

RBBM

Agreeing with Elainera - possibly vanity.

As someone who couldn't read the blackboard in 4th grade, and was stuck wearing glasses and contacts most of my life, I occasionally took off my glasses when being photographed.

OR . . .

If BB was very upset, he may have forgotten to grab them as he was heading off to the park.

The above is just MHO.

Praying he is found soon.

 

[JerseyGirl]

So what was the text to Carrie Braun? It was a male friend who took him to the park. Why would his family think the message signaled foul play but not LE? LE always says no foul play suspected just like they kept saying that about Bryce Laspisa. So when LE say that It means nothing to me. I use my own judgement.

Perhaps if LE thought Bryce had met with foul play they could have located him by searching in a more aggressive and quick manner. Five years later and he still hasn't been found.

Carrie Braun is a spokeswoman for the Sheriff’s Department. She was speaking of the friend (no gender given) that BB texted with.

It was really poor skills on the part of the reporter, who made it appear that he texted Carrie Braun.