What to do now to find my son?

Family
21

So, secret service didn’t take him in for “emergency evaluation.”

I don’t know who/what agency exactly you could contact, but perhaps start wtih the Department of Mental Health in DC, whose 24/7 help line is 1(888)7WE-HELP or 1-888-793-4357 http://dbh.dc.gov/service/access-helpline. There is a mobile crisis line there too: “Mobile crisis services is available from 9 am to 1 am every day and can be activated by calling (202) 673-9300.”

Did you file a petition in DC?

If you filed a petition in a different county or state, there might be different laws or a better judge in DC that allows hospitalization. District of Columbia - Treatment Advocacy Center According to this link, “D.C. case law has interpreted “injury” to mean the likelihood of an individual inadvertently placing himself or herself in danger or likelihood of suffering harm. An overt act of physical danger or violence is not required.”

The officers in DC could not use the information that his doctors said he needs long term commitment. Officers did not use the information that he has a diagnosis of (?) and is unmedicated, delusional, paranoid, has not slept or eaten in four days, tried to contact the White House, and you fear he will do something drastic or put himself in harm’s way with his need to contact the White House. Also, he does not plan on coming home until he can find someone to believe him. All of that information can go onto a petition.

DC law allowing you to file petition for outpatient commitment:

"For inpatient or outpatient commitment: Proceedings for the judicial commitment of a person in the District of Columbia may be commenced by the filing of a petition with the Commission by his spouse, parent, or legal guardian, by a physician or a qualified psychologist, by a duly accredited officer or agent of the Department, by the Director of the Department or the Director’s designee, or by an officer authorized to make arrests in the District of Columbia.

“For emergency evaluation: An accredited officer or agent of the Department of Mental Health of the District of Columbia, or an officer authorized to make arrests in the District of Columbia, or a physician or qualified psychologist of the person in question, who has reason to believe that a person is mentally ill and, because of the illness, is likely to injure himself or others if he is not immediately detained may, without a warrant, take the person into custody.”

From Treatment Advocacy Center ( TreatmentAdvocacyCenter.org )
Initiating Court-Ordered Assisted Treatment – Inpatient, Outpatient and Emergency Hospitalization Standards by State (June 2011) Page 5 Link: http://www.treatmentadvocacycenter.org/storage/documents/Initiating_Court-Ordered_Treatment.pdf Statute numbers are in link.

Good luck. My family member became extremely ill and is currently incarcerated because the moment the standards for involuntary hospitalization were met, a law was broken. Our system further harms people with serious mental illness, but we still have to try for the best outcomes.

I want a good outcome for your son.

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22

Is he getting any kind of treatment in jail? I hear some people do, but I know that not everyone does.

23

Unfortunately we live 5 hours away from DC. By the time we found out where he was Secret Service was already on it and told us to standby and they will get him the help he needs. By the time they got back to us they told us that they told him to leave and that he wasn’t a threat. We then called his hotel and they said he had already checked out so we beleived he was heading on his way home. However we had got a call from him an hour later and he said he wasn’t coming home he was staying in DC area but we have no idea where he is. Our local police department said that they took the missing persons alert off for him because they said he was found and at this point there’s nothing they can do we would have to file for a private investigator if we wanted to find him . Your information is very helpful should we find out where he is. That you so much.

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24

I hope you find him or that the next authorities he encounters do right.

25

@Rinda

I am very happy to hear that your son was found safe. I will keep you and your son in my prayers. Be bless!

26

Unfortunately my son has not been found yet! The secret service found him once deemed him not a threat and told him to go home. That was sat . It is now Wednesday and no sign of our son. We did learn he checked into a hotel again in Washington, was to check out on Sunday however he never did , but he let his cell phone and all his belongings still in the room. We are in Washington now, filling out another missing person report and taking pictures around to see if engine has found him! This so unbelievable st this moment. Please pray

27

Hi Rinda,

If they find him, use that he left all his stuff behind as a reason he’s a danger to himself in that he can’t care for himself properly or protect himself from harm. Even not eating for an extended period could be used.

My thoughts go out to you, especially since I’m only a couple hours south of DC. Did he keep his vehicle with him? or do you think he’s on foot? It’s kind of too bad they don’t have something like an amber alert for mentally ill adults, but that would probably just feed into their paranoia anyway.

I hope he shows up somewhere soon.

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28

They said I was a danger to myself and others because I was operating a vehicle with a psychosis. My court papers from my last hospital stay say that. Just a thought.

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29

We are praying.

You are going through so much and doing everything you can.

(I hesitate to write this, not being in your situation or knowing the laws in DC, will they let you file a petition in DC? That way it’s not up to the police whether or not to take him for an evaluation.)

I am just hoping the best for you and your family. All these prayers are going to you and your son.

30

We did file a missing person in DC . We just found out he purchased a ticket to Berlin, we are numb.

31

Is there any way you can talk to security at the airport?

I’m sure they wouldn’t want someone with psychosis, off their meds, on a plane if they knew about it.
Especially, a long, trans-atlantic flight?

Maybe this is your opportunity?

I guess he has a passport with him? (I don’t even have a passport, so he’s ahead of me.)

32

Praying for your and your son

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33

Still have not found my son or his truck. We have reason to believe he may have flown to Berlin . We are reaching to every agency possible for assignee in finding my son. If anyone knows of an international crisis center please let me know. Thank you for your prayers

34

I would call the American Embassy there: https://de.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/emergency-contact/ and ask for information about who to contact and where to send your son’s photo and info. " 01149 (30) 8305-0 for calls from the U.S. Time difference between Washington D.C. and Germany is + 6 hours."

There is a crisis center called “Berliner Krisendeinst” whose phone number in Germany is 030 390 63-10. I typed “Berliner Krisendienst” into Google http://www.berliner-krisendienst.de and then had Google translate it. In order to call, you will need to do the international dialing (should be similar to the country code to contact the embassy) and hopefully someone there speaks English.

If he got on a plane, he is basically functioning on some level. If he went, I really hope he makes it to Berlin safely and is relatively okay because once an American is having a health crisis in a country like Germany, they will do everything they can to get him back to the U.S.

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35

The police have put in a warning and look out to Interpol which means it will tell us if his passport crossed any borders or countries. Praise God! Maybe we will at least be able to have an idea of where he’s at! Do people with this illness ever accept or realize they are sick? I’m so worried we will get him back but he won’t accept that he’s Ill and this will go on forever! I really need some hope right now

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36

If u are,able to reunite check out private long term residential facilities.They embrace,whole life changes not just meds . They are,expensive but may have scholarships. Cooper riis in north Carolina for instance.

37

Sandy, I was looking into this but it is soooo expensive. Do you know them or anyone who has stayed there?

38

If we can ever find him and bring him home , I know long term is a must at this point.

39

Thank you for keeping us updated. I just shook my head and said, “Oh God please…” when I found out he isn’t located yet.

I hope you find him and he receives the treatment he needs.

40

Thank you for your prayers. I did receive an email from him that he is somewhere in Denmark, and is running out of money and credit. He’s still very delusional and paranoid. Won’t give me any details. We have been in contact with the embassy and American citizens assist, and they are looking for him. Praying for Gods Will.

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