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The investigation of the disappearance of UC Davis student Linnea Lomax has been given to the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Department.
The reason is fairly simple, said Lt. Tim Becker: This is her “county of residence.” Lomax, 19, hails from Placerville, where she also spends time during breaks from school.
The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department had “taken the investigation as far as it could, and will continue to investigate,” Becker said. It now falls on El Dorado County to maintain her missing persons status and make any updates to her case file.
Becker said that they had not received much information on the case, and that there had not been any tips to indicate Lomax was in El Dorado County, reiterating that the change is only due to her being from Placerville, and the change is a fairly normal procedure in missing persons cases.
“It appears she voluntarily left,” he said of the case. He said that she is an “adult voluntary walkout,” meaning that she, as an adult, has the right to leave and not tell anyone. “People will want to know why you left,” Becker said, noting that parents will want to know what happened to their child, even if that child is an adult.
Lomax, who suffered a mental breakdown while studying for finals, “is not mentally disabled,” Becker said, which also lowers the fear that she is in danger. He also noted that “There’s nothing to show a crime has occurred.”
Lomax went missing on June 26, after leaving the mental health facility on Howe Avenue in Sacramento that she checked into after her breakdown.
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Ron BriggsJuly 06, 2012 - 12:33 pm
Cole, The public needs a deeper sense of urgency in finding Linnea. This young woman is in a crisis and deserves all the help we can give her. Please keep publishing her picture and story daily until she is found. Ron Briggs
Stewart LomaxJuly 06, 2012 - 1:12 pm
I read this article and then went to lunch before responding. We all know that resources are limited but it seems that more can be done than just updating the missing persons report once in a while. A phone call to the parents to find out what they know would be the least we should be able to expect from the services we have been paying for for years. Maybe our police might hear something from a simple conversation that may open up another lead. There just might be a connection that can bring this girl home safely. But it sounds like our Sheriff's Department is content is just filing a missing person's report. I think we should all expect more.
changing timesJuly 06, 2012 - 1:20 pm
Law enforcement protects the elite but documents the remaining 99%.
LauraJuly 06, 2012 - 5:10 pm
I'm sure the Sheriff's office has spoken with the family and possibly used the information received to validate the decision to classify her as an "adult voluntary walkout." It also appears they have been in contact with mental health professionals (hopefully those at the facility where she had been staying) as I don't believe Lt. Becker would have otherwise gone on record to say she's not mentally disabled.
MarcieJuly 06, 2012 - 5:22 pm
I agree with Laura!!!!
John StevensJuly 06, 2012 - 9:42 pm
Marcie and Laura, balance Becker's comments against the stories in the Sac Bee (sorry editor) just a few days earlier. I think the community and the family could have lived without his personal editorial. This is a case where saying less, and confirming that the local department has taken over, would have been wise. Hopefully his comments do not minimize the seriousness of the issue and this family's heart break.
AlanJuly 07, 2012 - 12:33 am
There is no legal grounds for LE just to give the family the answers they want. They will get those answers if Linnea decides to tell her parents when she is ready to see them again... Someone need to get Linnea a civil rights attorney and start filing lawsuits for violationg her civil right and violating HIPPA law. I can't blame her for hiding there family has turned this into a witch hunt for a girl that's sinning and nothing more. And if that's a reason to send LE after someone then we have lost all our rights as human beings. The family is commiting fraud by giving missleading info then adking for donations. For instance they say we have a confirmed sighting we need donations and volunteers. But yet dont realease to police or public where the sighting was. And they have done that a few times. Then turn right around and say she hasn't been seen for 10 day now click here and find out how you can help. And of course it's a link to donate. Then they use fear so their followers on facebook will give more money. Like they released info that she was seen with a black man, then it was a hippie and now she maybe a victim of sex trafficking, please donate. Well how could she have been seen with all these people but yet not been seen for 10 days?????? That right there is fraud by deception.....
Claire PriceJuly 09, 2012 - 12:33 am
Mr Mayer, Your statement,- Lomax, who suffered a mental breakdown while studying for finals, “is not mentally disabled,” Becker said, which also lowers the fear that she is in danger.- appears over simplified. I do not know of any connection between someone having a mental breakdown and being mentally disabled. It's nice to know that Becker does not think Linnea is mentally handicapped, but that statement seems irrelevant. She did have a breakdown, was hospitalized, did require further care which has not been completed due to her disappearance. I see no reason to assume that all is well until Linnea makes contact with someone, be it the Sheriffs Dept, a friend, or a family member, and lets the Sacramento community know that she is ok.
CherylAugust 31, 2012 - 10:04 am
Claire Price... I believe Becker was using the appropriate terminology. People with mental illness can qualify for a mental disability. Read up on it and you will see what he means per the definition of 'mental disability' in state codes.