‘Amber’ found in NYC not Amber Dubois

Escondido teen Amber Dubois has been missing since February 13, 2009. (Courtesy photo/www.bringamberhome.com)

ESCONDIDO (CNS) - A teenage girl who responds to “Amber” and who mysteriously turned up in New York City two weeks ago is not Amber Dubois, the teen missing from Escondido since February, authorities said Saturday.

The girl in New York is believed by social workers and doctors there to have a legitimate case of amnesia, and claims to have no memory of her family, home or even her own name. The coincidence prompted Escondido police to query New York police, and a watch commander today said detectives had determined that the girl in New York is not the missing Escondido teen.

Escondido police have interviewed more than 500 people, served more than 50 judicial subpoenas and followed up on more than 1,000 tips since 14-year-old Amber first went missing Feb. 13.

Amber Dubois’ parents plan to reach out to the public again Sunday as they remember their daughter’s birthday.

The young woman found in New York, described as between 14 and 17 years old, 5 feet 6 inches tall, light-skinned, with short, straight, cropped blond hair and blue eyes, bears a resemblance to Amber and has responded to that name, though she’s apparently not certain who she is.

“I just want to know who I am,” the girl said in a statement from the New York City Administration for Children’s Services, reported by CNN. The teen, who is being referred to as Jane Doe, continued, “I want to know who I am and what happened to me.”

But Amber Dubois’ parents continue to search for their daughter, whose 15th birthday is tomorrow.

At a prayer vigil in September, her family criticized Escondido police, saying not enough was being done to find her.

“Our daughter is not getting what she needs to be recovered,” Amber’s father, Moe Dubois said at the time.

The family said police failed to act quickly on a tip received Aug. 24 from someone who may have seen the teen at a business, and the business’ surveillance video has since been erased. The family also alleges that police
failed to respond in timely fashion after tracking dogs brought to the region by the family last month picked up her scent.

Police said they remain vigilant in the search for the Escondido High School teen.

She is described on the family’s Web site, www.bringamberhome.com as 14 years old, 5 feet 5 inches tall, weighing 130 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes. She was last seen while walking to school.

Amber’s case is classified as a missing person investigation because police do not know if she ran away or was kidnapped. Friends and family have described her as a studious, well-behaved adolescent who loves her home and her family and has no history of running away.

Her family asked anyone with information to call (760) 743-8477. There is a $50,000 reward for the teen’s safe return and an addition $50,000 offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction in California of anyone responsible for her disappearance.

Tags: "Amber", Amber Dubois, CNN, Escondido, escondido high school, Jane Doe, missing person investigation, Moe Dubois, New York City, New York City Administration for Children's Services, SDNN

This entry was posted on Saturday, October 24th, 2009 at 2:10 pm and is filed under Local News . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.