What happens
(or not) in Cotacachi Ecuador doesn't stay in Cotacachi Ecuador, it goes national and worldwide. Keep this in mind if you want to move there.
Here is the
story. Mother (we'll call her Mother) in her 80s and daughter (Miss J) in her
40s live in outskirt of Cotacachi, near lake Cuicocha, in a remote bucolic countryside.
Apparently not remote enough when you have some gringo, Mister
X, as a neighbor. He didn't see
Miss J for a few days and started to post messages on Cotacachi Expats Facebook
page. Who knew that
Expats posts on Facebook would be such an interesting read: mystery/psychological thriller
with elements of suspense.
His posts are long so I am using excerpts. Excerpts from posts and comments are in Italic. My comments are in bold.
Mister X (The Neighbor) first message:
Monday, November 16th at 6:34 a.m.:
....A young
woman by the name of Miss J who lives up here on the Intag road and just down
the road from where I live may be missing....
Now, this
post generated some leads and theories. Below are some of them.
Replies:
She was seen
in Quito on Friday (November 13th) morning.
She is not
white skinned, but neither does she have brown skin.
She may have
been drugged and turned to zombie.
Monday, November
16th at 11:22 a.m. Mister X (The Neighbor) second message:
......I along with
2 or 3 others have been working all morning attempting to track down the young
woman Miss J who lives just down the road from me up by Lake Cuicocha. I really
appreciate the several leads we got but she was seen by her place on Saturday(November 14),
both in the morning and we saw her later in the afternoon.....
Some replies:
You are a
great neighbor! I thank you for your big heart and commitment to the well being
of those around you.
I hope she is
found safe and sound. Prayers
The case is
reported to the police.
Monday, November
16th at 5:35 p.m. another post from Mister X
.....A
representative for the family (of missing Miss J) who also acts as the family
legal consultant sent me several notes, one of which really asks that Facebook
and possibly other social media be used to get the word and information out on
the disappearance of Miss J........We must find Miss J!
Concerned
citizens replied:
Are there
people taking care of/helping her mother? I do not believe it is safe for her
to be staying in their house by Cuicocha by herself.
What do you
know, this Mother is brave: quote "unfortunately Mother doesn't want to
leave the house, she refused to have someone with her as well."
November 17th
at 4:45 a.m. Mister' X post
....Up very early
this morning and hoping all night that my first message on Facebook would be
that Miss J is home safe and sound but that is not the case. So we will push
on...
.... Mister N C and Mister J A are putting messages out
to at least 2 Ecuador emergency groups and I have a document from N C to read
on reporting procedures for missing US expats.
November 19
at 2:56 p.m. posted by Mister X from Missis X account
....Just about 1
hour ago I took a call from what had been the missing Miss J. She said was ok
and when I asked her if she home she said no, then are you in the Cotacachi
area, "no" so as of right now I do not know where she is. And I am
not going to speculate. To be honest there are many unanswered issues here but
for not the important thing she is ok and the other issues and concerns may be
addressed. I really want to thank those who helped, gave me some money for fuel
as I made more trips between my place and Cotacachi in the past few days that
in many weeks......Lastly thanks
for friends even from the US and Canada offering prayers, just words of
support, etc......
Replies (some
of them):
What is wrong
with that woman (and her mother) for allowing people to get all worried,
exhausted and worn out if she was fine (and her mother was not surprised). How
could she just go off without telling anybody anything? How could her mother
allow so many individuals to become so deeply entrenched in the search for her
daughter? This seems like the extreme case of "crying wolf." Nobody
is ever going to watch out for that woman again.
Please, you
wonderful individuals (Mister X) did the right thing! Your beautiful humane actions were
inspiring to all. We are all blessed to have good caring and compassionate
souls as you in our community. Yes, a lot of time, money, energy, and
frustration went into this heroic effort which is all the more to your credit!
and Grand Finale
November 20
at 4:46 a.m. Mister X
.... I just need to share a few final
thoughts regarding the missing Miss J. Of course she has been found
yesterday and messages were put up on that.....All she said to me is she is ok,
would not tell me where she was and by tone of voice I gather she is not happy
that so much went out on Facebook including pretty recent photos.....
Frankly this
has been the most intense 4 days of my life in trying to quickly assemble information,
get that out rapidly to a number of Facebook groups and put out information
that I felt was accurate along with very recent pictures. Luckily she was found
and this matter for me at least can now wind down but was preparing to try to
get a large group together to do a further search up there but that is not now
necessary.....
....Lastly I
really do want to thank again those that came forward to help, especially those
4 who walked a small area up there the other day in wet and slippery conditions
but also a couple that made and printed out flyers for some area businesses as
well as some down in Otavalo and I think they did this at their own expense.
Also the couple that gave me some money to help with my own fuel costs.....
Replies
(small part of it)
It's a damn
shame, but feelings get hurt.
There was a
missing person story yesterday in the Ibarra newspaper El Norte, complete with
a picture of Miss J.
You did the
right thing Mister X. She would be singing a different tune if she had fallen
or otherwise needed help!
Mister X, you
did the neighborly thing with an open heart. ..... Here in the states we have
social services you could report this kind of thing for to get the elderly woman
help with taking care of herself in the future when she is left alone.....
I do have one
request and that is for folks to remove the posters (of the missing person - Miss J)
they might see in Otavalo and Cotacachi. (In Otavalo, there are 11 of them; 3
at the bus stop, 1 at a restaurant called Casa de Abuela, 3 in the main plaza
area, in shop windows around the iglesia and one at a parquedero).
Mister X, you
did a kind and generous thing. If I turned up missing, you're definitely one of
the people I'd want on my side.
You did good.
Hope to have a friend like you!!!!
and now...
maybe the posts can be removed altogether?
It is truly
time for this subject to be put to rest. The lady is alive and well. Please
let's drop this.
Replies to above reply:
Do you have
any proof that she is alive and well? All we are hearing is hearsay.
If you did
not actually see her, how do you know that she is not being held against her
will?
Rental in Quito, for tourists and expats.
We have a 2 bedroom, 1 bath totally remodeled
Colonial Quito, furnished apartment for rent.
Anti-noise windows in both
bedrooms
For booking, pictures and more info
