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The skeletal remains of a woman found Monday in Malibu Canyon are that of Mitrice Richardson, who had been missing for nearly a year, a family friend told CNN.
Rhonda Hampton said the coroner's office called Richardson's mother, Latice Sutton, Thursday morning to report that a positive identification was made for her daughter.
Richardson was 24 when she was last seen leaving a Los Angeles County sheriff's station in Malibu in the early morning hours of September 17, 2009.
She had been arrested the previous evening at an upscale restaurant for allegedly not paying for her meal, and patrons at the restaurant said she exhibited strange behavior.
Her family has said the college honors graduate suffered from mental health issues and should have been kept at the sheriff's station until a relative arrived to pick her up.
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I just heard the tapes from that night, her mom is so scared for her child, you can hear it in her voice, a mothers' instinct is never wrong. When that little voice talks to us we should listen ! she should have driven out there that night, and picked her up or shown her face. I know people of color who live in that area and could not even drive around let alone walk around that neighborhood. Why do we continue to put our trust in corrupt police wake up! Your child could be next! They saw this Educated black, no police record and flipped out! Yes we do exist! She never made it out and they must have something on the black that works there to make her back up this story (sad) and Geoffrey's is gross that is why she did not want to pay the bill
This is so hard I have been praying for her safe return since she first vanished. I think the LAPD had something to do with her death. I hope there is evidence to prove it. The main thing I have been looking forward to see is the video of her in the police station and her leaving. The FBI should have been took over this case it does not make any since the story the LAPD have. "NOT AT ALL" Enough is enough this is not the first time that someone have vanished after being placed under police custody. I know God is with this family and plenty of people around the world.
Its sad the way police treat women today. I to was recently arrested for driving on a suspended license, I was released at 4am, Century dentention center in Lynwood and i live in lancaster 1 hour and a half away. When they impounded my car my purse was left inside because they wouldnt let me take it. I had no cash, atm, id or anything. I asked 2 use there phone and they said no. I was so scared, i had 2 walk 2 miles down the road alone on the streets of Los. Angeles projects. I begged for money for a train ticket until a older woman let me use her phone i called my father and he came and got me. I wish Mitrice was as lucky. May she REST IN PEACE.
my thoughts and prayers are with the family.. It was only a couple of weeks that I say Mr. Richardson give a interview regarding his daughter... I remember watching it with my mom... I think the Police are at some fault here!!! I thought when someone is arrested.. they do somewhat of search... to see if any warants, any missing persons report. (Full on Histroy Search) This was obbivously not done....
Again.. Iam truly sorry for thier lose... My prayers are with the family
God Bless
Procedures should be in place regarding the manner in which individuals are released from the sheriff's station. If Mitrice was unable to have someone pick her up from the station, a deputy should have escorted her to a safe location. Are there no such policies in place to promote the safety of the public? Woman alone, no vehicle, late night = Danger.
I too like the above post have been following this tragic story from the beggining. As a mother of a college graduate living far away from home this is always your biggest fear. I truly believe the police know exactly what happen to Matrice and I pray that they all are held accounable. I pray for strength for her family and know that we are all praying for your entire family.
It's time for society to know our children are very important to us and we are tired of our children being thrown out like trash. She was a beautiful and smart young lady...
REST IN PEACE MATRICE....
It seemed unrealistic to think that Mitrice left the area safely at that time of night. It's too isolated and dark. No sidewalks in many places. No streetlighting. No buses. No car traffic. I hope that the Authorities will learn to have more compassion for stranded visitors.
I'am s-o-o-o s-o-o-o very sorry.. I kept praying & hoping that they would find her alive.. After about3 months, intuition told me that she was either captured by a sex ring being used as a sex slave, or deceased. But I continued to hope and pray that she would be found alive! May she RIP.. My prays go out to the family & friends.. May God be with you, & keep you!
I have kept up with Mitrice's story for a while now hoping closure would be brought to the family. What a tragic ending. I hope the family finds peace through this devastating journey.
R.I.P. Mitrice Riichardson
I don't think I can say anything more heartfelt than the above two posters. If I were Latice, I think I might be close to finding some rest. Her daughter is at peace now..no longer a victim of any ignorant human beings. I'm a mother. Adult daughters. My heart and prayers go out to/for you, Latice.
I have never stopped thinking about Mitrice every since I watched this story last year. My hope was that she was alive, but now that this news has been released, my heart aches for her family. They can now have closure but it is just very unfortunate that this even happened because if the police department would have just kept her there until her mother came to pick her up, she could have gotten the necessary treatment for her issues. So sad it had to end this way.
R.I.P Mitrice
You can GUARANTEE that in Malibu nobody who "looks like" Paris Hilton or Britney Spears would be released from custody...in the early morning with no transportation, money, or ID.....
I'm in L.A. and happen to have some 'inside' information surrounding this case.
The Malibu Police Department is going to pay....big time. Not only did they blow it right from the start, and in the days following, but they tried to hide evidence. That hasn't been made public yet...but it will.
Their little trip to Vegas where they held a press conference and said she'd been seen? Bogus from the get-go.
This didn't have to happen. The Malibu Police are liable for Mitrice's death. And that will come out in court.
I am so sorry to hear this I blame the police that dealt with her that night. They were horrible to that family
AC: Do you think anyone with a history of conducting terrorist attacks on Americans should be allowed to hold ANY public office? LOL
God rest her soul and may the Lord comfort her family at this time. I am truely sorry for her early homecoming but hopeful her spirit is in a better place and will have trouble no more. Love Laini Key
God rest her soul and may the Lord comfort her family at this time. I am truely sorry for her early homecoming but hopeful her spirit is in a better place and will have trouble no more.
I guess those people who were so eager to believe that she was living as a prostitute in Las Vegas feel pretty badly now for making an assumption based on her race and gender? Oh, I guess not. This is a very sad development, but unfortunately, it was far more likely for her to have been killed and dead all this time than running off an becoming a hooker in Vegas, people. She was a real person, with a real life and real mental problems. I hope people give her some respect now rather than try to trash her.