CA CA - Sydney “Syd” West, 19, University of CA student, San Francisco, 30 Sept 2020

[Lusitana]

I'm from the Palo Alto area, and am around Syd's age, and I can tell you that there is truly a suicide pandemic in my city. While the train has been discussed frequently in the news, suicide by other methods are sadly just as common. From my high school alone we have lost three students over the last two years, and while there has been a shift among the student body to discuss and reduce the stigma of depression and mental illness, I have not seen a major shift in the habits and practices of teachers and parents. I know this seems off topic, but I view CAL as very similar to this environment- very academically competitive, socially isolating, and extremely easy to get lost as a student.

From the information we have been given it seems evident that Syd attended CAL for the summer session (typically reserved for freshman anyway) and then withdrew or dropped out (a decision she made likely with out consulting her parents). I know that a lot of people in the comments are alluding to suicide and the bridge, but IMO it is equally likely that the pressure at CAL made Sydney want to live off on her own, and it seemed like even before she was reported missing she was a little bit off the grid and maybe even had halted contact with her parents.

The amount of time she has been missing is very shocking and worrisome , and the lack of information the public has been given alludes to the parents already knowing the outcome (I think that fact that her parents are still in NC says the same thing sadly), but I'm still wondering, why even release any information online at all? I think we should all be hopeful, however, as the lack of information could be an effort to give Sydney space.

Off topic but I know someone discussed the "Finsta" earlier- the vast majority of people my age have finsta accounts for their friends only where they share stories, rants, and content that shouldn't be seen on a public account. This is normal and is not really cause for concern in my opinion.

Thank you for sharing.
Are there any off-grid communities in the Bay Area or surrounding areas?

 

[mspuurfect]

It's still possible that she has run away. I worked in mental hospitals on the Peninsula for a few years and we'd get patients who were hard to identify, were brought in due to being a danger to self or others, and it would take a while to sort things out. Some of them had come from out of state. Several had absolutely no ID or misleading ID. One woman couldn't come out of her initial confinement cell for more than a week.

IMO I can't see her just wandering off - she's a super smart girl with a plan - I think she tries to plan everything and perhaps that is her downfall - too many plans that don't work out. Put yourself in her shoes - a super smart girl but maybe can't cope with the pressure (I think her parents esp dad gave a lot of that), she tries soo hard but is failing and also with the isolution Corona has brought everyone.

We don't know who she was living with, don't really know when last seen or if she had that backpack.

I hope she has just decided to be a 'Gone Girl' as she was certainly smart enough but ...

 

[cherrystar]

Hi, a friend of Syd's from high school here.
<modsnip>
On a separate note, I am trying to remain hopeful and want her to come back alive more than anything. Every day I anxiously check the news and hope there are updates on the case. However, it seems like the trail has gone cold. I have no idea where she may be. I can say that she used a "trap phone" when she didn't want to be tracked by her parents. It was a dingy old iPhone 4 and slightly cracked. I reached out to that phone and my message did not deliver. She also had a knack for befriending the most random people. Perhaps there is a chance that she befriended someone very obscure in the Bay Area and wanted to lay low after dropping out of college. But it has been two weeks, her face has been broadcasted all over the news. At this point, she would just come clean and reach out to her parents. So yes, I am incredibly concerned but trying to remain hopeful.

 

[BirdieB]

Very interesting on the Trap phone and obscure friends.

 

[trackcaliforniasleuther]

Thank you for sharing.
Are there any off-grid communities in the Bay Area or surrounding areas?

Of course! And yes there are, but I think it's also important to recognize how many places there are to hide in this area. This area is very diverse- there are beaches, major ish cities, and lots of suburbs.

I am on a gap year this year, but have many friends in college who were not able to get housing, many of whom decided to get apartments in random places around the Bay with friends (so that they could have a college experience of sorts). Because of this there are lots of college age student living by themselves or with other people their age and studying remotely. I think its possible she found someone who would let live with them, but I also feel like something would have come out about that by now. Praying that parents/police know something or at least have a little bit of a lead that they are keeping to themselves.

 

[trackcaliforniasleuther]

Great post! Thanks! I think from this your implying Syd succumbed to depression and ended her life ? Sorry that was the only way I could put that :-( But as you also said why bother posting as parents - but then as a mum I would NEED to know where my daughter was and if she died WHERE/WHY and HOW??

I don't want to imply or guess bc I feel like that would be disrespectful, but I do know that it happens a lot in this area. It's a horrible possibility, but I also don't think her last location being Crissy Fields/GGB is a strong indicator. It seems too obvious and could be intentional on Syd's end.

Yes, I agree. I think they either think that she ran away or as you sad sadly succumbed to depression which is why they are still in NC. I'm praying that its just because they want to give her space. I'm personally wondering if she has gone off the grid before.

 

[mspuurfect]

On a separate note, I am trying to remain hopeful and want her to come back alive more than anything. Every day I anxiously check the news and hope there are updates on the case. However, it seems like the trail has gone cold. I have no idea where she may be. I can say that she used a "trap phone" when she didn't want to be tracked by her parents. It was a dingy old iPhone 4 and slightly cracked. I reached out to that phone and my message did not deliver. She also had a knack for befriending the most random people. Perhaps there is a chance that she befriended someone very obscure in the Bay Area and wanted to lay low after dropping out of college. But it has been two weeks, her face has been broadcasted all over the news. At this point, she would just come clean and reach out to her parents. So yes, I am incredibly concerned but trying to remain hopeful.

Thanks so much for your post - I have a 19 yr old daughter and she is so intelligent and has so much sense and maturity it sometimes scares me! I really hope your not offended by these posts, I know they can maybe seem critical to Sydney but its really not meant that way - we all want to help find her safe and well and sometimes from the outside that may seem disrespectful in the things posted - I guess its all about theories and like a huge jigsaw where the pieces are scattered eveywhere and sometimes they don't fit. We are all trying our best to work out where she may be and fit those pieces together. Some things you read will be 'well thats *advertiser censored* she'd never do that' etc! You know her we don't - thats why its so great you are helping (great minds think alike and all that) My daughters called Lauren and if she went missing then I would NEED to know what happened - whether she wanted to go somewhere and chill for a while

 

[amethystcrystal]

There is not anything wrong with that. It is VERY common for teenagers to have finstas.

I agree with you 100%, I have friends with finstas also who post more private/personal or goofy things and I have more than one account as well. I'm sorry some people were being so judgemental and harsh.

 

[amethystcrystal]

Thank you for sharing.
Are there any off-grid communities in the Bay Area or surrounding areas?

I don't know of any off the grid communities, though I think I would check north of SF, maybe past Marin near the Sebastopol or Sonoma areas (or anywhere less populated, more spread out or more secluded). If I were to go off the grid/run away I think I would go anywhere North of SF to places I would be less likely to be recognized or found. I had a friend back in high school (who was a year or two younger than me at the time) who disappeared for 6-7 months when she was 16. She and her friend (who disappeared around the same time) were later found 2-3 hours north of SF staying in the Sacramento area with someone her family didn't know of (I'm unsure how they met that person) and she was returned home after.

 

[Paige Franklin]

Hi, a friend of Syd's from high school here.
<modsnip>
On a separate note, I am trying to remain hopeful and want her to come back alive more than anything. Every day I anxiously check the news and hope there are updates on the case. However, it seems like the trail has gone cold. I have no idea where she may be. I can say that she used a "trap phone" when she didn't want to be tracked by her parents. It was a dingy old iPhone 4 and slightly cracked. I reached out to that phone and my message did not deliver. She also had a knack for befriending the most random people. Perhaps there is a chance that she befriended someone very obscure in the Bay Area and wanted to lay low after dropping out of college. But it has been two weeks, her face has been broadcasted all over the news. At this point, she would just come clean and reach out to her parents. So yes, I am incredibly concerned but trying to remain hopeful.

Thank you so much for the post, I'm so sorry you're going through this! I agree with you that all things mentioned are just part of becoming independent and figuring out who you are. While not all may relate these things to me are not unusual for young adults. Have you shared the burner/trap phone number with the tip line? They may be able to track it or pull phone records. I'm not sure how it works with prepaid phones but it's worth a shot.

Edited by me for formatting

 

[ElizabethAnne]

I don't know of any off the grid communities, though I think I would check north of SF, maybe past Marin near the Sebastopol or Sonoma areas (or anywhere less populated, more spread out or more secluded). If I were to go off the grid/run away I think I would go anywhere North of SF to places I would be less likely to be recognized or found. I had a friend back in high school (who was a year or two younger than me at the time) who disappeared for 6-7 months when she was 16. She and her friend (who disappeared around the same time) were later found 2-3 hours north of SF staying in the Sacramento area with someone her family didn't know of (I'm unsure how they met that person) and she was returned home after.

Sydney said in one Reddit post that she would just rather go to a community college and later transfer to Cal. I would hope that LE would check to see if she registered on OpenCCC for application to a community college. There are plenty of them in small, off-the-grid communities throughout California.

Here is the latest article concerning the vigil in Pleasanton on Thursday Vigil for missing teen set for Thursday in downtown Pleasanton

 

[BirdieB]

That’s a very smart idea! You ever know what they could find with the number online. Definitely share this with the tip line. Anything would help.

 

[cherrystar]

Thank you so much for the post, I'm so sorry you're going through this! I agree with you that all things mentioned are just part of becoming independent and figuring out who you are. While not all may relate these things to me are not unusual for young adults. Have you shared the burner/trap phone number with the tip line? They may be able to track it or pull phone records. I'm not sure how it works with prepaid phones but it's worth a shot.

Edited by me for formatting

It was the same number as her old phone, she would simply switch the SIM card into her iPhone 4. Her parents tracked her via find my iPhone, so the iPhone would say she was still at home. But for some reason when she would hit me up with the trap phone it would be an iMessage email.

 

[GordianKnot]

It was the same number as her old phone, she would simply switch the SIM card into her iPhone 4. Her parents tracked her via find my iPhone, so the iPhone would say she was still at home. But for some reason when she would hit me up with the trap phone it would be an iMessage email.

Is SW currently working anywhere, or how has she been supporting herself since she stopped going to school?

I'm just wondering if she's been experiencing any significant financial stressors recently, as that could be a potential indicator of a self-harm scenario.

Also, what is known about the people she's been staying with in SF?

Are they friends of hers from college, or are these people she met more recently, i.e., how close is she with them?

JMO.

 

[ocsalumni]

It was the same number as her old phone, she would simply switch the SIM card into her iPhone 4. Her parents tracked her via find my iPhone, so the iPhone would say she was still at home. But for some reason when she would hit me up with the trap phone it would be an iMessage email.

Usually that's because someone is using the phone on a wireless network rather than needing data. She might've used it like an iPod where she only used it when she had WiFi, so that there was no data plan to pay for. That's how my iPad is, all messages come from my email rather than my phone, and have separate conversation threads. Not sure if that helps you to make sense of it or not.

And I'm very sorry about Sydney.

 

[Paige Franklin]

It was the same number as her old phone, she would simply switch the SIM card into her iPhone 4. Her parents tracked her via find my iPhone, so the iPhone would say she was still at home. But for some reason when she would hit me up with the trap phone it would be an iMessage email.

That makes sense, my stepson used to switch his SIM card between phones too. I still think it might be good info to pass on. I just did a quick search on iMessages and found this, "Messages through iMessage are sent through Apple’s servers rather than your cell phone provider’s texting server which means that the messages can be accessed on more than one device. Apple currently allows iMessage to sync to iPhones, iPads, iPods, Mac computers and Apple Watches." So maybe they could pull messages from the iCloud to see if she happened to send any messages on the trap phone that might give any clues.

 

[ocsalumni]

That makes sense, my stepson used to switch his SIM card between phones too. I still think it might be good info to pass on. I just did a quick search on iMessages and found this, "Messages through iMessage are sent through Apple’s servers rather than your cell phone provider’s texting server which means that the messages can be accessed on more than one device. Apple currently allows iMessage to sync to iPhones, iPads, iPods, Mac computers and Apple Watches." So maybe they could pull messages from the iCloud to see if she happened to send any messages on the trap phone that might give any clues.

Yeah, this would work as long as Sydney had "send and receive" in her message settings as both her phone number and her email. As long as they are on the same iCloud account or family sharing plan, this is possible. Some people like to keep the message threads separate though, so that it's clear when they're sending a message from their iPad/Computer/any other device that doesn't have a cellular plan (their email would show as the sender). Not sure which way Sydney did it.

 

[amethystcrystal]

Sydney said in one Reddit post that she would just rather go to a community college and later transfer to Cal. I would hope that LE would check to see if she registered on OpenCCC for application to a community college. There are plenty of them in small, off-the-grid communities throughout California.

Here is the latest article concerning the vigil in Pleasanton on Thursday Vigil for missing teen set for Thursday in downtown Pleasanton

I also wonder if she has any friends going to college in the Sacramento/Davis area (some of those areas are more spread out or remote too) that she could be staying with (that people might not know of).

 

[Emi]

Welcome @cherrystar, it would be good if you become a verified insider for this case. You wont need links to prove facts

 

[Lusitana]

I could be completely off-base here, but Sydney comes off, at least to me, as one of those kids from nice families, who grew up with some decent money, went to nice schools, had nice things, traveled the world, etc, but didn't really care about the $ and the status of it all. I keep seeing those kids turning 18 and refusing to live that live anymore, and starting to live a simpler life, many times cutting off family members and some friends. I wouldn't be super shocked if she was okay and was at some off-grid community just doing her thing. If she's okay and doesn't want to be found, then she's not going to be found. I hope she's okay somewhere and just lets her family know she's fine and wants to be left alone.