Authorities to search Malibu Hills today for missing 24-year-old

Los Angeles police and sheriff's deputies are scheduled to begin a massive search of the rugged Malibu hills between the 101 Freeway and the coast for  24-year old Mitrice Richardson, who has been missing for nine days.

Richardson, of South Los Angeles,  was arrested by sheriff’s deputies on charges of failing to pay an $89.21 bill at Geoffrey’s Malibu restaurant on the evening of Sept. 16 and for possessing less than an ounce of marijuana in her car.  She was taken to the Sheriff’s Department’s Malibu/Lost Hills substation in Calabasas and released at 1:25 the next morning without her car, which had been impounded. 

With the exception of what authorities believe was one sighting later that morning, she has not been heard from since.

“We’ve been searching almost every day,” said Steve Whitmore, Sheriff’s Department spokesman. “We did a big search last Saturday. This one will be bigger.”

Whitmore said authorities expect 135 trained volunteers and rescue personnel to cover an area from the Malibu/Lost Hills substation to the coast. They will be on foot, on horseback and in helicopters.
 
Richardson’s parents have criticized the Sheriff’s Department for releasing a woman before daylight who was unfamiliar with the area and had no transportation. But authorities said she was an adult and exhibited no signs of mental illness or intoxication.

But Richardson's mother, Latice Sutton, says the manager at Geoffrey's said Richardson was acting oddly, as if she was under the influence of some substance.

 “I said that’s not characteristic of my child, she must be in some crisis state,” Sutton recalled.

Richardson’s family members and friends said they asked to participate in the search but authorities told them that the terrain was too difficult.  So they have decided to do their own search along the flatter stretches of Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu.

“This is not search and rescue for us, this is finding Mitrice alive, possibly disoriented and with someone,” said Sutton's boss, A. Majadi, president and CEO of the Boys and Girls Clubs of San Bernardino.

“We’re going to go to all the businesses up and down PCH… We’ll split up into teams and canvass the area with fliers and talk to each and everybody: ‘Have you seen her?’ ”


-- Carla Hall

Comments

[Shelley]

What kind of Sherriff's Department let's a young woman go out alone at night in an isolated area with no money and no ride? What is the world coming to? The police are supposed to serve and protect, but they obviously didn't care about this young woman! I wonder why. And to top it off, the restaurant called the police because this young woman was ACTING ODDLY, dining alone but approaching other diners AT THEIR TABLE AND ENGAGING THEM IN CONVERSATION, she appeared to be UNDER THE INFLUENCE of something and couldn't PAY HER BILL. Obviously the police thought she was acting peculiar enough for them to SEARCH HER CAR and when they arrested her they found she had NO PRIORS. These factors add up to something -- a young woman in a crisis! So I ask you Sheriff's Department, if this were YOUR DAUGHTER would you want her left on her own to fend for herself in the middle of the night in an unfamiliar area with no money and no ride? I DON'T THINK SO.

[concerned]

How could the sheriff's dept. have released this young woman, who had no money, no phone and no transportation, so far from where she was arrested...at 1:25 AM? Calabasas is 14.5 miles (via a canyon road through the Sta. Monica mountains) from PCH Malibu where she was arrested. To say "she was an adult" is not the right answer.

[Arlene L. Silva]

no, seriously? the good folks entrusted with protecting people from harm pitched someone out in the middle of the night, in the middle of nowhere, with no transportation? pointless to say more, no one's listening but one does wonder how many more Lily Burks it will take before someone does listen - the answer, I guess, is blowin' in the Santa Anas ...

[Curious]

Although she is an adult, that is odd to release someone at that time of day without at least allowing them to call for a taxi or wait at the sheriff/police dept. until a ride can come for them. I would be curious to know what the protocol for such a situation would entail.

[russell]

Good fricking job L.A.S.D. dont even accept responsibility!

[Sam]

Why has it taken so long for the Sheriff's Dept. to realize that foul play may be involved? Everyone makes mistakes, including law enforcement. Not paying for a meal and behaving strangely should not put your life in jeopardy. Hopefully, this young adult will be found quickly alive and reasonably well. Prayers for the family, and for the law enforcement.

[Virginia]

Maybe if she were from say, Beverly Hills with a lighter shade of skin she would be safe at home with her family now or getting help for whatever caused her to go astray. Sad. Or possibly this massive seach that is taking place today to locate her would have happened oh about a week ago.

[Victor Jackson]

How irresponsible for the Police Department and the restaurant to not treat Mitrice like a human. They would not do that a dog. Geoffrey's used to be a place I frequented. Now I will not. The releasing officer and Geoffrey's manager should be fired at the least.

[lucy]

However the Sheriff's dept. tries to spin this, they shouldn't have released this woman in the middle of the night after arrested her in the EARLY evening, taking her car and knowing she had no money. That applies to anyone, wouldn't matter if she'd been older or a young man, would even be worse with an OLDER and less fit person.

People who say "that's common procedure" miss the point. None of the reports say she had a record, so this isn't some hardened gangbanger who "knows the system." The procedure should be changed.

Now the County and other agencies are spending a fortune we can't afford in a budget crisis, and thousands of man-hours, trying to find her . A week later, the prognosis isn't good for finding her safely and in good health. Unless she was mentally unstable and hitch-hikied away on purpose, she may be dead.

Shame on Geoffrey's Restaurant, too. Reports say they had a problem with her credit card: she did not skip out on her meal on purpose. Something about how there was a question about it, and the credit card company OR the restaurant wanted it faxed instead of called in, makes no sense -- the reporters should do their job and report the details.

As it sounds, Geoffrey's sounds too quick to arrest a young black woman eating in an upscale place like that, alone, assuming she "didn't belong" there. (Was she stood up by a companion? It does seem unusual for someone from Pomona to be in an expensive Malibu restaurant alone, running up a big tab - but didn't the Sheriff's dept. get any info out of her about that? Their attempts to claim they were downright motherly to her, offering her a bed until morning, just does not ring true. More likely, she was anxious to get out of there after having been roughly treated.) I know Geoffrey's is more of a couples of "special occasion" place, but I wouldn't eat at Geoffrey's again until I get more details.

[Heather]

What lousy reporting! Where is her photo? Who bailed her out? Where is that person? Did she really walk out the door, are they absolutely sure she didn't have transportation? Where was she sighted later that morning?

[Mufon]

If I read this article correctly, she was released from a sheriff's station, she wasn't taken to the woods or to the side of the road and dropped off. Are we go believe there is no telephone there, or other amenities? I do hope she's found, and I bear her no ill will, but the police critics, who will seize upon anything to criticize law enforcement, are engaging in their usual nefarious tactics of placing blame without looking at the circumstances.

And, of course, since she's black, the usual suspects will fling the race card about. When it's your hobby to engage in this safe, fun practice, I guess it shouldn't be unexpected. After all, there is no risk in claiming racial bias, and, unlike most aspects of American justice, in these cases the accuser need not provide any proof or substantiation. It's up to the accused to prove it did not occur. And there's no consequence for false or baseless racism claims.

[Meme]

Unfortunate situation. This adult women goes alone to a high end Malibu resturant without a dollar on her, orders expensive dinner and does not pay, didnt intend to without having any money on her. This is just wrong. Dont'think it's wise to have marijuana in the car either. She declined to stay in jail when given that choice, she willfully left, didn't call anyone, friends, family at while the station for a ride. That was her choice, everyone is entitled to make a phone call. She probably was high on that weed when she went to that resturant in a strange mood, and the drug wore off by the time she was released. How about being accountable for decsions, including not using drugs out alone..I dont blame law enforcement, they release and don't babysit that person once they are free to go. If they held her beyond the norm, then that becomes an outrage as well. I hope she surfaces and gets treatment for behavior that put her at this high dangerous level of unnecessary unreasoned risk. Horrible judgement for this young lady.

[Hostile Knowledge]

The police are not a social agency. Having said that, cops should display some common sense which was absent in this instance.

[shannon]

I am a "regular" of Geoffrey's and find it humorous that so many of you have taken what seems to be EVERYTHING that the media has been saying as TRUTH. Didn't anyone ever teach you DON'T believe everything you hear?!? Geoffrey's was never offered a form of payment from Mitrice, and as far as the procedure in NOT excepting credit card info over the phone from her mother/grandmother/whomever as far as i'm concerned that policy is in place to protect us as patrons of the restaurant from fraud. ANYONE can call in and say they are anyone they want with a stolen credit card and try and pay for something. I sure as heck appreciate Geoffrey's procedure is asking for a signature and/or copy of I.d via fax, it helps deter from the con artists ability to steal from us. As far as treating her like a dog?!? where's that information coming from Victor?? Do you know something we don't?? or are you making an ASSUMPTION like EVERYone else?? and why exactly should the manager of Geoffrey's be fired? for what?? following procedure? we all have jobs and we all have rules we have to follow and he was doing his job. Lucy, have you been to Geoffrey's? People from ALL over the world eat at this restaurant. All different races (including myself), ethnicities, religions. Even the staff at this restaurant is diverse! As far as eating alone, the staff at Geoffrey's has never treated me differently and i quite frequently eat alone with my book enjoying the atmosphere at Geoffrey's and I myself am a woman of color. I truly feel for the family and Mitrice for all that is happening. I pray that she will be found safe and unharmed.

[jazzijade]

This case is very unusual, however it should hit home to many parents in Los Angeles. A beautiful and special young lady is missing and the circumstances that have lead to this mystery are a reflection of both our society and the poor parenting skills that reflect our society today.

My question for the parents....why did your daughter go to a restaurant that she could not afford? given the minimal amount of the bill at Geoffrey's this is so ridiculous! As much as the parents want to push the race card, it is wrong! If your daughter had the money to spend at Geoffries, none of this would have happened. Also, the police department regardless of her age, should have been more proactive in protecting this young woman. This is is a situation in which both family and society failed and it reflects our culture today!

Please note, there are many issues that need to be addressed, not only by the parents but also our government. instead of blaming the police station or the circumstances of the disappearance of this woman...the community should all be searching and looking for a better solution.

In watching a Youtube of this incident, I was moved by the pain and suffering of the parents, however I feel that the a double standard in this case is not appropriate and regardless of the issues and poor priorities that have been displayed by both parents and the lost hills police department, the important focus is to find this young woman.

[Olivia]

Where is the evidence that she ever left the station?
Release forms...videos?
The cops said she made several phone calls - why can't they trace them & contact the people she spoke with?
There are so many holes in the sheriff's department stories and too little follow-up in finding her or in media coverage.
Really, has anyone seen any evidence to support their claim that she LEFT of er own will?

[captain grumpy]

I smell a rat from the cop shop !!!

[Southern Girl]

There is something going on with the Police department. I have not heard if she signed a release form or not. Maybe the Police Department knows more than they are saying. Are there cameras around where you can see her leaving the polie deparment? Something JUST IS NOT RIGHT WITH THIS MISSING STATEMENT FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT

[zoe]

I can't believe some of these comments faulting this woman in any way!!! I am white but I will use the race card in this situation. I live in Malibu... This poor girl was mistreated by everyone involved. why did the restaurant call the police? was it really for her well being?? or the fact that she was African American?? Is the $80 dollars worth what they are about to go through?? $80 dollars in the restaurant world is equivalent to $10 dollars... My heart breaks for this woman and her family... As far as the police station... In the reports they claim they had to realease her because the The jail was full, at the same time they claimed that they offered for her to stay in a locked up cell if she had no way to get home???? Is there a contradiction here??? Also the restaurant claimed they called the police because they were worried about her safety. if this is true then why would the police release her? hmmmmmm.... As fat as the comment someone made about her having marijuana in her car. Wake up!!!! You are a callus, closed minded person that needs to be educated about life. I hope that they find her safe and sound. And by the way the food at Jeoffreys is horrible... It hasn't been good for years.... And after reading about this in the local Malibu paper I am sure that it will not be frequented by any locals... Horrible decision making by the management. Shame on them

[some lying]

first of all for the one's thats giving nagative comments you I know if this was your child you would not be saying what you say. now we all know good and damn well that the LA Police Department have something to do with this missing lady. it's obvious, what they need to do is send the FBI to investigate this police station before they get rid of the evidence where is the copy of the release form and where was her only phone call when they booked her so her parents could have came in got her

[Sharon]

I've heard Richardson's mother and father on the radio today with some talk show attorney. Having heard their side of the story and blaming both the police and the restaurant owner, I decided to read into it a bit more. Here's what I concluded:

1. A young woman, dining alone in an upscale restaurant, running a tab of $89 and some cents, refused to pay, according to the recorded phone call from a restaurant personal to the police dispatch "acting a little crazy like she was on drugs" - now this could be interpreted several ways. It could be that Ms. Richardson has an attitude or a little drunk or belligerent or high or any of the above combo. Either way, she refused to pay. The restaurant did no wrong via calling the cops. This is not a racial thing. They served her food and drinks, they did not kick her out. Any restaurant, white/black/asian/hispanic owned will attempt to call authorities when their patrons refused to pay. Yet, Ms. Richardson's mother and father went on the radio today ranting on equal portion between the restaurant owner and the cops. Her parents' issues with the restaurant includes mentioning "my child is a smart, beautiful woman, she would never do such a thing" - something along that line. Well, what parents wouldnt' say that? But place yourself in the shoes of a businessman dealing with an apparently crazy person who've stolen from you, you won't be seeing a smart beautiful child, you see what she was, a crazy person who is trying to steal. Her parents said the restaurant should've taken care of her knowing that she was not in her right mind. I don't know what plane they're from but if every restaurant dealt with every patrons appearing crazy and who've refused to pay that way, they'd be bankrupt.

2. Now the police officers. It should be noted that I'm not a fan of police. I think they're less than smart and bullies. I've had my own bad experiences with them, nothing that involved me being jailed but definitely fined, numerous times.
The police officers searched her car, found marijuana and probably conducted some tests. She was probably also placed in that little jail-holding area that police station has (i've been in one for 40 minutes years ago). She likely was talking and like any normal human being getting arrested, try to talk her way out of the station. The police officers deemed her to be no threat and coherent. Sure one can argue that perhaps she was not. Perhaps, but perhaps she was. If she was high on marijuana, you know it subsides quite a bit after a couple hours, perhaps that is what happened. So having no prior records and no threat, the policed did not want to prolong holding her more than necessary (read: lawsuit, we do not know if ms richardson at that point is threatening to file a lawsuit), so they released her. Now, they make it sound as if they released her in the middle of the Malibu wilderness terrain. They released her in Calabasas. A safe community with I'm sure facilities for phones and taxis. It's unclear whether she had her cell phone with her but who doesn't have a cell phone these days? If she had walked, how far could she have walked? Sober, you can probably walk 3-5 miles within 2 hrs in the dark, high like her family alleged, likely twice the amount of time. Or she could've been sober enough, made a call to get picked up and something happened with whomever picked her up. I mean, why would a young girl that age, who is obviously not familiar with the area show up in a restaurant like geoffrey's without a dime on her? waiting on her wealthy date and got stood up? called her date and he did something to her? there are too many ifs.

3. The police is also not a babysitting service. I don't know which is the truth. the fact that the jail is full or that they offered her to stay for a few more hours locked up or she refused to stay and insisted on leaving. Perhaps the situation is simply that there's this woman who stole from a restaurant appearing high on pot and sobered up and since she had no priors, the police released her b/c they had other things to worry about.

4. the family is pulling the race card, which i absolutely absolutely hate. i'm 1/4 black and i really really hate this because it makes true racist cases be demeaned and belittled because of people doing this.

It is unfortunate to be sure. However, until more is proven to be a direct negligence of the police, Ms Richardson's family has to realize that more than half of the responsibility fall onto Ms Richardson herself. For stealing from a restaurant, for taking illegal drugs and being high, etc. These things have consequences, unfortunate to be sure but when we do illegal things, sometimes there are consequences and we cannot always expect others to bail us out.

[LINDA]

I AGREE ...WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD THE LAW ENFORCEMENT NOT "PROTECT " PEOPLE ? AND THE MOTHER HAD TOLD THEM SHE WAS COMING TO GET HER ....BUT THEY SENT HER OFF INTO THE NIGHT...COME ON PEOPLE....THIS IS RIDICULOUS....I AGREE WITH THE FATHER WHEN HE SAID IF THAT HAD BEEN A PERSON WITH THE NAME "SPEARS" THEY WOULD HAVE ESCORTED HER LIKE ROYALTY...I THINK THE POLICE DEPT NEEDS PRAYER......GOD HELP US

[Marilyn Jones]

How could the sheriff's dept. have released this young woman, who had no money, no phone and no transportation, Hate to go there however, I will if she had been white girl
they would have made sure, she was picked up.
My pray is for the young woman..

[Marilyn Jones]

How could the sheriff's dept. have released this young woman, who had no money, no phone and no transportation, so far from where she was arrested...at 1:25 AM? Calabasas is 14.5 miles (via a canyon road through the Sta. Monica mountains) from PCH

[KK]

Smells like an inside job or cover up? The logic is not there releasing somebody 1.30am and ride into the sunrise.