Found Deceased VA - Morgan Dana Harrington, 20, Charlottesville, 17 Oct 2009 - #1

[KaylynnCouture]

Thanks mods for merging!

I'd like to know if the cell phone was damaged in any way which could explain why the battery wasn't in it. Also if someone did abduct her, why would they take the time to take the battery out of her phone if the phone didn't go with them anyway?

I'm guessing it was just a split second decision for them to not take the cell phone because it can be pinged with the battery inside. So, instead they take the battery but leave the phone (and all that would be left at that point is just the phone casing, essentially) and therefore it can't be tracked.

 

[kant]

Thanks mods for merging!

I'd like to know if the cell phone was damaged in any way which could explain why the battery wasn't in it. Also if someone did abduct her, why would they take the time to take the battery out of her phone if the phone didn't go with them anyway?

Do we know where the phone was found? If the abductor wanted to separate her from her purse and her phone (purse for ID and pings for location) (?) may he have been thinking that the purse (and phone) wouldn't be immediately found without the aid of the ping information revealing location? IDK

 

[kant]

I'm guessing it was just a split second decision for them to not take the cell phone because it can be pinged with the battery inside. So, instead they take the battery but leave the phone (and all that would be left at that point is just the phone casing, essentially) and therefore it can't be tracked.

With the battery missing, what does that do to any previous information in a phone? Can it still be retrieved?

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Virginia Tech Student Morgan Dana Harrington Disappears From Concert
Police Say 20-Year-Old Vanished, Leaving Behind ID and Cell Phone
Oct. 20, 2009
<snipped>
Her father, Dr. Dan Harrington, said Morgan was a "homebody" who regularly visited her parents in Roanoke, 35 miles from the Virginia Tech campus in Blacksburg. He said she dropped in "midweek and most weekends."

Harrington called her parents to say she arrived safely at the concert Saturday afternoon. She planned to come home again Sunday to study for an upcoming exam with her father, a physician and medical school dean.

Video: Student Missing After Night of Fun 1:15
http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=8870626

PHOTO: Missing VA Tech Student
http://abcnews.go.com/images/US/ap_missing_student_091020

In this undated photo released by the Virginia State Police, missing Virginia Tech student Morgan
http://abcnews.go.com/images/US/e47c0c7b-c99d-405d-aa79-5300d23c5ceb

Article:
http://abcnews.go.com/US/virginia-t...arrington-disappears-concert/story?id=8872201

:angel:

 

[KaylynnCouture]

With the battery missing, what does that do to any previous information in a phone? Can it still be retrieved?

I think it would depend on the type of phone. A lot of the newer phones now days have the SIM cards built into the battery of the phone, and if that's the case, then yeah the information will all be on that battery and all that would be left is just the casing of the cell phone. If it's an older phone or a basic model, the SIM card won't be in the battery (it will be a little square chip looking thing underneath where the battery is) and that SIM card will contain all the information (her contact book, text messages, etc) but the phone will still not turn on without the battery.

 

[kant]

I think it would depend on the type of phone. A lot of the newer phones now days have the SIM cards built into the battery of the phone, and if that's the case, then yeah the information will all be on that battery and all that would be left is just the casing of the cell phone. If it's an older phone or a basic model, the SIM card won't be in the battery (it will be a little square chip looking thing underneath where the battery is) and that SIM card will contain all the information (her contact book, text messages, etc) but the phone will still not turn on without the battery.

Thanks. That does make a difference. The parents would know what kind of phone she had. Contacts and texts might be helpful if she had that separate card chip kind. They could just replace the battery to access the info right? However, Im guessing it must be the newer kind b/c no one's mentioned the phone information tho.

 

[KaylynnCouture]

Thanks. That does make a difference. The parents would know what kind of phone she had. Contacts and texts might be helpful if she had that separate card chip kind. They could just replace the battery to access the info right? However, Im guessing it must be the newer kind b/c no one's mentioned the phone information tho.

Right..if it's the kind with the SIM card attached to the phone, not attached to the battery, then they should be able to take that same model phones battery, put it in, and get the information. Things like your contact book, any text messages that were left in your inbox, your photos and videos, etc. are all stored on your SIM card.

 

[kant]

I know some people at that age give their parents access to their online accts like - what is it? -- myspace or facebook and whatever. Then there are those who give the parents access to a sock acct, and the "real " one is separate. Not saying that's what happened here, but the dad said that she "for sure" didn't have a boyfriend. Sometimes the parents dont know even with the best of kids. Again, not saying that's what it is here. Just throwing it out there.

Also, do girls go to the restroom alone at a big concert arena like that? Is that weird to anyone?

Anyway, it seems like there's something more to the friends' story that we haven't heard.

MOO

 

[kant]

Now on HLN they're saying that if someone abducted her that there'd be screaming; but Im guessing that the noise level, even outside the area, would be such that screaming wouldn't necessarily be noticed; but IDK.

You'd think there'd be security cameras and lighting outside tho.

 

[KaylynnCouture]

Now on HLN they're saying that if someone abducted her that there'd be screaming; but Im guessing that the noise level, even outside the area, would be such that screaming wouldn't necessarily be noticed; but IDK.

You'd think there'd be security cameras and lighting outside tho.

Since she went out of the arena before the concert started, I would guess that there would have been a lot of people coming into the arena, security guards, people checking tickets/event staff, etc. out there. Someone would've seen something, I would guess, if she put up any kind of a struggle.

 

[kant]

Since she went out of the arena before the concert started, I would guess that there would have been a lot of people coming into the arena, security guards, people checking tickets/event staff, etc. out there. Someone would've seen something, I would guess, if she put up any kind of a struggle.

Yes, I agree. I was just thinking if, as you said, she went out before the concert started, realized she couldn't get back in, and then she called the friend to say she couldn't get back in. Yes, I agree that at that time it was likely that people were still going in and there was still activity outside. But let's say if she were stuck out there, after all the people were in and the concert started etc. it may have thinned out outside the arena. (Where would she go anyway? since she presumably didn't have the keys to the other girl's car.) Maybe it could have gotten sort of deserted outside - later on, I mean. There are sometimes straggerlers, ticket scalpers, etc hanging around outside; but maybe that's not good news. IDK. Still the weird part is WHY GO OUTSIDE THE ARENA IN THE FIRST PLACE?

 

[KaylynnCouture]

Not sure if this has been posted, but according to this article..

Rader also said that investigators are not searching for Harrington&#8217;s car because she rode in a friend&#8217;s car when they went to the concert.

Snipped from http://www2.dailyprogress.com/cdp/news/local/article/parents_plead_for_tech_students_return/47660/

That may help answer some of your questions, Kant. It looks like she didn't drive, she rode with a friend.

 

[kant]

Not sure if this has been posted, but according to this article..


Snipped from http://www2.dailyprogress.com/cdp/news/local/article/parents_plead_for_tech_students_return/47660/

That may help answer some of your questions, Kant. It looks like she didn't drive, she rode with a friend.

Thanks. Oh wow, this is confusing. On HLN they just said that they found her car. They seemed to be implying that she drove the first leg of the trip from her home (her home at school ? or "her home" meaning her parents home?) to Harrisonburg.

Then in Harrisonburg (I beleive that was the name) she met the friends and from there they all rode together to the concert with one of the other girls driving her own car. (Iow, Morgan's car would still be in Harrisonburg.) That's if I heard it correctly and if HLN reported it correctly. So IDK. I think I heard it right tho, but IDK.

 

[KaylynnCouture]

I was just thinking..I wonder how far out of the arena she went (and why), and also what door she went out of. Here's a map of the arena and the parking..

 

[distracted]

~respectfully snipped for space:

Still the weird part is WHY GO OUTSIDE THE ARENA IN THE FIRST PLACE?

Maybe she went outside to smoke a cigarette.

 

[Kimster]

Just heard about this case today. Her dad is on JVM.

Also, they say someone took the battery out of her cell phone? How strange!

How she was separated from her friends is not clear.

 

[Kimster]

JVM now discussing the alarming amount of missing women in America.

(I have to agree with JVM that women are not safe in America anymore....)

 

[Kimster]

Morgan is too trusting, says Dad. No boyfriends. Has a great relationship with her family, worked for her dad at a medical school. Family heard from her almost daily and visited home at least once a week.

 

[Kimster]

Investigators have been working with the arena yesterday and today viewing what is available on surveillance video.

 

[KaylynnCouture]

~respectfully snipped for space:


Maybe she went outside to smoke a cigarette.

I looked on their website, and they have designated smoking areas there at the arena (outdoor sections, but still within the arena) so I would assume she wouldn't leave the entire arena, but who knows. I wonder if maybe she knew someone else coming, and went outside to meet them?