Could this girl with amnesia be a long-missing girl from Missouri, Kara Kopetsky?

NicoleWasHere · October 24th, 2009, 01:31 AM

Could A Teen with Amnesia Found in NY Be Kara?

NEW YORK – Police are investigating whether a woman who showed up in Manhattan two weeks ago with no memory of her family, home or ever her name could be Kara Kopetsky.

The girl, who is being referred to as Jane Doe, was found in midtown Manhattan on Oct. 9.

"I just want to know who I am," the teen said in a statement released by the New York City Administration for Children's Services. “I want to know who I am, and what happened to me.”

At one point, she wrote down the name “Amber,” and responded to the name on one occasion, but she says she has no idea whether or not it is her name.

The teen is described by Children's Services as "very soft-spoken," 5 feet 6 inches tall, light-skinned, with short, straight, cropped blond hair and blue eyes. She has no discernable accent.

Children's Services also added that she recently found herself recalling the words to what turns out to be an excerpt from a fantasy novel called “Fool’s Fate” by the author Robin Hobb.

According to the Children's Services statement, Kara is reviewing materials for a high school GED exam, saying she is able to do the math, but has no memory of studying the science or history materials. She, however, can easily retain the information.

The teen is estimated to be between 14 and 17 years old. Kara would be 19 today. Kara is 5 feet 5 inches tall and 125 pounds. She has light brown hair, hazel eyes, and a scar on her forehead.

Kara was last seen May 4, 2007. A surveillance camera at Belton High School recorded the last moments of her known whereabouts. See Video Below

Kara did not come home from school that day. She did not show up for work, and did not answer her mother’s repeated phone calls. That evening, Kara’s mother and stepfather, Jim and Rhonda Beckford, reported her missing.

On Thursday, May 17, three people reported seeing Kara at a gas station in Louisburg, Kan., with a young man.

Despite extensive media coverage, several searched, and multiple leads, no one has been able to find Kara.

Kara’s stepfather and brother have seen the photos of the two girls, and say they do not believe the teen from New York is Kara. However, they are hoping the comparisons will keep Kara’s story out there, so someone will recognize her.

Cpl. Peek with Belton police says that his department has been in touch with New York police and they are assisting in any way they can. However, he said they do not believe the girl in New York is Kara.

If you have any information about the teen or her family, you are asked to contact the NYPD Missing Persons Squad at 212-694-7781 212-694-7781 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS

Could A Teen with Amnesia Found in NY Be Kara? - NBC Action News KSHB-TV 41

celeb_2006 · October 24th, 2009, 01:47 AM

Those chompers sure look identical!

But probably another false alarm.

mella · October 24th, 2009, 06:32 AM

looks fishy to me

Sarzy · October 24th, 2009, 06:57 AM

The noses look too different to me.

buttmunch · October 24th, 2009, 07:56 AM

Tough one. I think noses continue growing our entire lives and certainly in our teens--I think they look remarkably similar.

McJag · October 24th, 2009, 09:56 AM

But if her family says doubtful,that doesn't sound good.

MrsDark · October 24th, 2009, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sarzy

The noses look too different to me.

Yep. And the eyes are closer together in the pic of the girl on the right. The jawline actually looks wider on the girl on the left.

But yeah, there are similarities.

celeb_2006 · October 24th, 2009, 11:49 AM

I dunno, could be angles, lighting, age, etc. etc.

The lower halves look remarkably similar, but the upper half at least in those two comparisons don't particularly look the same.

Only one way to know fo' sho folks: DNA!!!

sputnik · October 24th, 2009, 01:07 PM

they look similar at first glance, not so much when you look closer.
i doubt it's the missing girl.

Karistiona · October 24th, 2009, 03:20 PM

It would be lovely if it turned out to be her, after DNA testing, but there do seem to be rather a lot of differences once you look closer.

buttmunch · October 24th, 2009, 03:43 PM

I don't know why but it looks, to me, a lot like here, particularly around the brow area. A lot can change about a person during their teens. I really hope it's her because that would give the family a lot of peace.

Moongirl · October 24th, 2009, 04:19 PM

The story says Kara would be 19 now, and was last seen in 2007, which would have made her 17 then; would there really be that much changed in her appearance between 17 and 19? I don't think it's her.

NicoleWasHere · October 24th, 2009, 04:21 PM

buttmunch · October 24th, 2009, 05:23 PM

Now I'm even more unsure. Partly it looks like her and partly it doesn't. Different camera angles but the mouth, the chin, the eyebrows...

Either way, the amnesia girl looks like something awful happened to her.

NicoleWasHere · October 24th, 2009, 08:24 PM

Officials Identify Teen With No Memory

(Oct. 23) -- Authorities have identified a teenager believed to be suffering from amnesia who was found on the streets of New York two weeks ago.

Police say a CNN viewer in Maryland identified the young woman, who mysteriously turned up in Manhattan two weeks ago, claiming to have no memory of her family, her home or even her own name.

The 18-year-old, whose name was not released, is being reunited with her family in Washington state, New York Deputy Police Commissioner Paul Browne said.

New York City police have identified this teenage amnesia victim, who was found on the streets of New York two weeks ago. She is being reunited with her family in Washington state.

A photo of the woman, who has been referred to as Jane Doe, was circulated by police and aired on CNN this week. The viewer in Maryland was familiar with her situation and knew she had been missing from her family earlier this month.

The girl was found in Midtown Manhattan around 12:30 a.m. October 9 outside the Covenant House youth shelter, although the organization said that she was not a resident at the time and did not appear as if she intended to seek refuge at the facility.

"I just want to know who I am," the girl said in a statement from the New York City Administration for Children's Services. "I want to know who I am and what happened to me."

According to its Web site, "Covenant House New York is the nation's largest adolescent care agency serving homeless, runaway and at-risk youth." Nearly 7,000 youths reportedly seek shelter there per year.

A security guard for the shelter noticed the girl walking on the sidewalk near Covenant House and approached her. Finding her unresponsive, he called the New York City Police Department.

Police officers interviewed the young woman, but it became clear that she couldn't provide authorities with any information about herself. The police said she was wearing military green camouflage pants, a black shirt and a pair of black sneakers when she was discovered.
The children's services agency said the girl recently wrote down the name "Amber" and has responded to it on one occasion, but she has no idea whether it is her true name.

On another occasion she is said to have recalled certain words, which turned out to be an excerpt from the fantasy novel "Fool's Fate" by Robin Hobb. The girl also is apparently writing a fantasy story of her own that features a heroine named Rian, "who's been raised by the commander of the guard post on the edge of a fantasy kingdom," the young woman said.

Judging from her poor dental hygiene, said Lt. Christopher Zimmerman, she appeared to have been living on the streets for some time.
CNN's Susan Candiotti contributed to this report.

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Teen With Amnesia Found in New York's Times Square