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Parents of Missing Woman to Call on FBI to Aid in Search
Mitrice Richardson
Mitrice Richardson
It's been two weeks since Miltrice Richardson went missing. On September 16th when restaurant management at Geoffrey's Malibu called sheriff's deputies because she could not pay her $89 bill, officers found a small amount of marijuana in her car, impounded it and booked her at the Lost Hills station in Agoura Hills. Hours later at approximately 1:25 a.m. she was released, walking out with no car and no cell phone. Richardson's parents contend something was wrong with her and that sheriff's deputies shouldn't have let her go on her own, citing the bizarre appearance in her booking photo and the way reportedly spoke at the restaurant. Staff from the restaurant said "said she was from Mars and started speaking in a made-up language," according to the L.A. Times. "She did tell my valet at one point that she was here to avenge Michael Jackson's death."
Officers said Richardson passed a field sobriety test and did offer to let her stay overnight in the station's lobby. But she left and was apparently seen a couple times. At 6:30 a.m., a Malibu Canyon resident called police about a woman sleeping in their yard. Around 7:30 a.m., a driver saw a black woman walking on a Malibu Canyon road.
Yesterday, the LA County Board of Supervisor's approved at $10,000 reward for any tips that lead to her whereabouts after search efforts failed. Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, who represents South L.A. where Richardson lives, introduced the motion.
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Tomorrow, her parents are expected to call for a national search, asking for the FBI to get involved in the search on live radio. “ The Richardson case is not a local but a national tragedy that points up the plight of missing persons of color,” said Earl Ofari Hutchinson, a radio host on KTYM Radio 1460 AM, where her Richardon's parents will be interviewed. “Richardson’s parent will tell what law enforcement and the public should do to end the tragedy.”
Richardson is a Cal State Fullerton graduate who passed the test to become a substitute teacher. She's a 24-year-old African American with brown hair and hazel eyes, is five feet five to five feet six inches tall and weighs about 135 pounds. She was last seen wearing a dark shirt and blue jeans.
Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Miltrice Richardson is asked to call the LAPD Missing Persons Unit, Detective Kristin Merrill at (213) 485-5381. After-hours or on weekends, calls may be directed to a 24-hour, toll free number at 1-877-LAPD-24-7 (527-3247). Callers may also text “crimes” with a cell phone or log on to www.lapdonline.org and click on web tips. When using a cell phone all messages should begin with “LAPD.” Tipsters may remain anonymous.
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This work is only possible with community support. Every investigation, service guide, and story is made possible by people like you who believe that local news is a public good and that everyone deserves access to trustworthy local information.
That’s why we’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Thank you for understanding how essential it is to have an informed community and standing up for free press.
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