mabby89

NEW YORK (CNN) -- Authorities are seeking the public's assistance in identifying a teenage girl who mysteriously turned up in Manhattan two weeks ago, claiming to have no memory of her family, her home -- or even her own name.


The teen has recalled an excerpt from the fantasy novel "Fool's Fate" by Robin Hobb.

"I just want to know who I am," the girl says in a statement released by the New York City Administration for Children's Services. The teen, who is being referred to as Jane Doe, continues, "I want to know who I am and what happened to me."

The Caucasian young woman, described by New York ACS as "very soft-spoken," is 5 feet, 6 inches tall, light-skinned, with short, straight, cropped blond hair and blue eyes. Doctors are estimating her age to be between 14 and 17.

ACS Commissioner John B. Mattingly appealed to the public in a statement, "asking anyone who may know this young woman to help us locate her family as quickly as possible, so we can safely reunite her with those who love her."

The girl was found in midtown Manhattan around 12:30 a.m. October 9 outside the Covenant House youth shelter, although the organization tells CNN that she was not a resident at the time and did not appear as if she intended to seek refuge at the facility.

According to its Web site, with nearly 7,000 youths seeking shelter per year, "Covenant House New York is the nation's largest adolescent care agency serving homeless, runaway and at-risk youth."

A security guard for the shelter noticed the girl walking around on the sidewalk near Covenant House and approached her. Finding her unresponsive, he called the New York City Police Department.


Police officers interviewed the young woman, but it became clear that she couldn't provide authorities with any information about herself. The NYPD said she was wearing military green camouflage pants, a black shirt and a pair of black sneakers when she was discovered.

Children's Services said the girl recently wrote down the name "Amber" and has responded to it on one occasion, but she has no idea whether it is her true name.

On another occasion she is said to have recalled certain words, which turned out to be an excerpt from the fantasy novel "Fool's Fate" by Robin Hobb. The girl is also apparently writing a fantasy story of her own that features a heroine named Rian, "who's been raised by the commander of the guard post on the edge of a fantasy kingdom," says the young woman.

The girl has a 2- to 4-inch scar on her lower left back and had a black, handwritten birthday message on her arm, addressed to a name of Japanese origin, when she was found, police said Friday.

Judging from poor dental hygiene, said Lt. Christopher Zimmerman, she appears to have been living on the streets for some time.

"This case has been going on since October 9," Zimmerman said. "Today is the 23rd, and we're vey concerned. It's been a very long time now. That's a long time frame to not identify somebody. Especially someone who we believe is a juvenile. Usually juveniles we get a lot of inquiries about."

While the girl is confused and her story remains vague, Mattingly said, "she is safe with us, and we are doing all we can to help her, but she needs to find her family."

She is apparently reviewing materials for a high school GED exam, saying that she is able to do the math but has no recollection of studying the history and science portions. However, according to the Children's Services statement, the young woman "can easily retain the information."

New York City Administration for Children's Services and police are asking anyone with information about the young woman or her family to contact the NYPD Missing Persons Squad at 212-694-7781 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS.

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mabby89

STORY HIGHLIGHTS
NEW: New York Police say the 18-year-old is being reunited with family in Washington state
NEW: CNN viewer in Maryland identified the young woman, police say
She was found October 9 outside Manhattan youth shelter
Agency says girl wrote down "Amber" and responded to name

RELATED TOPICS
Manhattan
New York City Police Department
New York (CNN) -- Authorities have identified a teenager believed to be suffering from amnesia who was found on the streets of New York two weeks ago.

Police say a CNN viewer in Maryland identified the young woman, who mysteriously turned up in Manhattan two weeks ago, claiming to have no memory of her family, her home or even her own name.

The 18 year old whose name is not yet being released, is in the process of being reunited with her family. They are from Washington state and are on their way to New York, New York Deputy Police Commissioner Paul Browne said on Saturday.

A photo of the woman, who has been referred to as Jane Doe, was circulated by police and aired on CNN this week. The viewer in Maryland was familiar with her situation and knew she had been missing from her family earlier this month.

The girl was found in Midtown Manhattan around 12:30 a.m. October 9 outside the Covenant House youth shelter, although the organization said that she was not a resident at the time and did not appear as if she intended to seek refuge at the facility.

"I just want to know who I am," the girl said in a statement from the New York City Administration for Children's Services. "I want to know who I am and what happened to me."

According to its Web site, "Covenant House New York is the nation's largest adolescent care agency serving homeless, runaway and at-risk youth." Nearly 7,000 youths reportedly seek shelter there per year.

A security guard for the shelter noticed the girl walking on the sidewalk near Covenant House and approached her. Finding her unresponsive, he called the New York City Police Department.

Police officers interviewed the young woman, but it became clear that she couldn't provide authorities with any information about herself. The police said she was wearing military green camouflage pants, a black shirt and a pair of black sneakers when she was discovered.

The children's services agency said the girl recently wrote down the name "Amber" and has responded to it on one occasion, but she has no idea whether it is her true name.

On another occasion she is said to have recalled certain words, which turned out to be an excerpt from the fantasy novel "Fool's Fate" by Robin Hobb. The girl also is apparently writing a fantasy story of her own that features a heroine named Rian, "who's been raised by the commander of the guard post on the edge of a fantasy kingdom," the young woman said.

Judging from her poor dental hygiene, said Lt. Christopher Zimmerman, she appeared to have been living on the streets for some time.

__________________
Your stupidity still amazes me.

mabby89

New York (CNN) -- The teen who mysteriously turned up in New York with apparent amnesia emptied her bank account and left behind "everything" before she left her home in Washington, police told CNN.

The woman, now identified as Kacie Aleece Peterson, 18, of Hansville, Washington, withdrew about $400 from her Bank of America account, said Scott Wilson, spokesman for the Kitsap County Sheriff's Office in Washington.

But Peterson "left everything," including her wallet, identification, cell phone, clothes and even her bike, which was secured outside a Wal-Mart, Wilson said.

Police still do not know how Peterson traveled cross-country to New York City.

The woman mysteriously turned up in Manhattan two weeks ago, claiming to have no memory of her family, her home -- or even her own name.

There's no indication that she's feigning her memory loss, said Paul Browne, deputy commissioner of the New York Police Department.

At the same time, because Peterson is an adult, authorities have not ruled out the theory that she left home to re-establish herself elsewhere, Wilson said.

The teen's father, Henry Peterson of Colville, Washington, told Kitsap County authorities his daughter had occasional memory lapses, Wilson said.

In May, Kacie Peterson was found lying on the ground next to a creek at the family farm, Wilson said. She had blacked out and did not remember who she was, he said. Kacie Peterson was briefly hospitalized after the incident, he said.

Her father also told investigators that in another incident his daughter was found unconscious on her bedroom floor, Wilson said.

Henry Peterson reported his daughter missing on October 2, Wilson said, after the family friend she lived with told him that the last time she saw Kacie Peterson was September 30. Kacie Peterson moved in June from eastern Washington with her father to western Washington to live with a friend of her mother, who died when she was 7, Wilson said. Henry Peterson told police he agreed to the transition, Wilson said.

The teen's father described their relationship as "difficult" and "that he had put too much pressure on his daughter to do well and get good grades," Wilson said.

Kacie Peterson, a high school senior, started anew at Kingston High School in Kingston, Washington, but only attended for three weeks, said Chris Case, director of community relations for North Kitsap school district. Enrolled in the Running Start program there, Kacie Peterson had two advanced placement classes at the school and also classes at Olympic College in Poulsbo, about 10 miles away, Case said.

Kingston high school officials said Kacie Peterson was quiet, shy and that "she had no friends," Wilson said.

The last time she showed up for class was on September 29, Case said.

The next time some employees of the school saw the student she was sporting a new look.

"The school here is telling me she had long hair past her shoulders," Case said. In the photo New York police showed of the teen during their investigation to identify her, Kacie Peterson had hair that looked only about a couple of inches long on top and tapered low on the sides.

Police asked for help identifying the teen after she was found in midtown Manhattan around 12:30 a.m. on October 9 outside the Covenant House youth shelter. The organization had said she was not a resident at the time and did not appear as if she intended to seek refuge at the facility.

A security guard for the shelter noticed her walking around on the sidewalk near Covenant House and approached her. Finding her unresponsive, he called police.

Officers interviewed her, but it became clear that she couldn't provide authorities with any information about herself.

A photo of the then-unidentified woman aired on CNN, and a viewer in Maryland who was familiar with Kacie Peterson alerted authorities. Police established a positive identification.

Police say they do not know how she lost her memory.

She is still in New York and receiving care from the city agency, Browne said.






Thanks Jenefer for the update!!

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