A lost girl

[Deleted]

A long story, but bear with me. Here's what happened hereaboots this weekend:

So, Friday night into Saturday morning, I'd stayed up late watching music documentaries on BBC Four, as I often do. Mr R asleep in bed, Ms Rolo out at her work till 4am in Ashton, and staying at her boyf's flat.

Except, the buzzer goes frantically--and I mean frantically-- at the back of 2am. First thought was Ms R had decided to stay at home and had forgotten keys, but that's not like her. On my way to the door, my second thought was it's a visitor for the young guy in the mews out back (it happens...)

It's a young girl, maybe about 21. She kinda fell through the door, I caught her and sat her down in the hall. This girl's not in a good way, she doesn't have a CLUE where she is or why.

Doesn't know where she is, how she got here or who she's looking for. All I could get out of her-- after much gentle questioning-- is where she lives. Southside, with her mother. According to her, 5 minutes away. Except the address she gives me is at least 30 mins in a cab.

She was semi-lucid one minute, panicky and wide-eyed the next, and clutching on to my hand. I kept asking where she'd been (a 20th birthday party, but she couldn't remember where...)

This is a well-spoken, well-turned out girl, with appropriate clothes for the weather, although she seemed to be feverish and shivery and was carrying her jacket and coat.

I offered to call her mum on her phone but she said please not to--so I called a cab instead and waited with her outside (in ma PJS and puffa coat, LOL). When it came I told the cabbie the address she'd given me, he said a £15 quid fare. Checked with S*****, who didn't give me her surname: she had no cash-- only cards-- and this cab didn't take chip and pin.

Fecking hell, so I says to the driver to wait, I'll put this on my business account (I hadn't enough in my purse) so came back in and sorted that out on the phone.

Next thing, Mr R sees girl get out of taxi, heading wobbily up the main road. So I phone TOA back right away and they tell me she's been sick in the cab and got out. Mr R says he'll get in the car and look for her but he's had a couple of beers so I tell him, not a good idea.

At this point, I phone 101, give them her description plus the address she told me. She's in no shape to be out wandering lost and alone, with no cash, it's now 3.30am. Polis confirm they're sending a couple of cars out to look for her.

So, pretty sleepless I have to say for the next few hours. Phone rings: is Polis. They've been to the address at 7am, block of flats, they've not found her despite sending nonsense out to look for her in the WE area.
I reiterated her description and that she lives with her mum (Polis Sergeant tells me that fact wasn't conveyed to them by 101) so he says he's going right back to the address.

One hour later, he phones back to tell me he's now located S***** safe and well.

So what happened? I don't BLOODY WELL know.

But I suspected from the outset that someone had maybe spiked this girl's drink.
(After 20 years at T, and you know, just being out and about----I think/hope I can tell whether someone's just uber-drunk or something else is going on.)

Ends well, thank eff. Just not always the case for young people SO out of it on whatever that they don't actually make it home.

[ozneil]

Thank God for a happy ending. Could have so easily gone the other way

On behalf of S**** and all of us a very sincere Thank You. You deserve a medal

PS Cops deserve a thanks as well.

[bormes]

Actually expect you to do that R, not surprised,
WELL DONE.

[Deleted]

Sure, Oz, I was impressed that the cops took immediate action and sent a couple of cars out looking right away. I've not had time to call Polis Sergeant back but I will do tomorrow.

I suppose my point in telling this wee story is that I really worry so much about young people being in such a state, whether they've chosen to take something or whether they've been spiked (and it DOES happen..).

There's been several instances in Scotland this past couple of years where kids have come to serious harm from being in a state and unable to find their way home. One poor young student got out of a cab miles from home cos he'd run out of money...his body was found the next day near his remote home in Stirlingshire. He had frozen to death.

Another young woman was found dead in a front garden in Glasgow, having sought shelter under a hedge on a freezing cold night, again she was trying to get home and never made it.

Kamikazi drinking is a serious problem everywhere now though, isn't it? Introduce party drugs of dubious provenance and it's no surprise so many kids get disorientated.

I made a mistake myself, at 20, been at a party in Havelock St, had a few drinks, as you do then very stupidly compounded that with a few tokes on a jazz cigarette. Drugs and me don't mix, I knew that at the time, but I did it anyway for some reason.

How I made it home, up the length of Byres and along Gt Western to my flat in Alfred Terrace, I will NEVER know. I couldn't feel anything below the knee, felt like I was walking on stumps

That was scary enough, then I realised I'd been followed out the party by a right creep--an English musician--whose advances I'd given short shrift at the party. I vaguely recall shrieking at him to f*ck right off, just at the corner where Oran Mor is now. LOL!

I learned a lesson that night. Goes around, comes around, I hope

[ozneil]

I meant cops deserved a thank from US lot and S**** ... not from you You had more than done your bit The cops should be thanking you!!!!

[Deleted]

www.scotland.police.uk/whats-happening/news/2015/april/update-regarding-missing-person-appeal-karen-buckley

Awful. You can but hope she is safe,somewhere.

[bormes]

I suspect very strongly this wee soul has met a terrible fate.
I suspect the perpetrator will be shown very, very soon.
I suspect he is a very wierd young man.
We bought three glass tables from him two years ago.
He is about 21.
FUCK HIM, I HOPE HE GETS A HORRIBLE DISEASE AND DIES PAINFULLY.

[Deleted]

Grim sounding developments this evening.

Massive police presence at the foot of our road all day again, helicopter overhead intermittently since 7am, as it is again right now----and emergency services tonight at an operation at a farm in Milngavie. It all feels so unreal and utterly shocking to the core.

That wee soul. I guess there's still hope she's alive somewhere, however faint.

The guy you mention has just been detained, having only earlier today been declared not a suspect but you'd imagine the polis will had good reason for that.

The guy's a neighbour of many folks we know, kids that were at school with Ms Rolo (including one of the boys I met at the gig on Sunday). Apparently privately educated then went to a local college and was recently sentenced to community service for printing counterfeit money, bit bizarre.

Thing is at the moment there's no evidence been released that a crime's been committed so best to ca canny, publically anyway, till the facts emerge.

A dreadful, horrifying turn of events, nevertheless.

[bormes]

Sent you a PM rolo.

[ozneil]

Im so sorry for the girl and her family.

Hoping against hope she is found alive

[bormes]

Her remains have been found in a barrel in ground at the farm at High Mains.
MY opinion is that the Police have done a fantastically professional job very, very quickly in this terrible tragedy and I think that removing this creature from society will have removed a serial killer of the future.
Yes I know!! Innocent until proven guilty!!
However as I said, it is only MY opinion.

[Deleted]

People are genuinely terribly upset that such horror could happen in our community.

The young people in particular, though,there's a palpable sense of shock.
Don't we all remember how invincible we all felt at that age: that our parents were over-protective, and how we shrugged off their concerns? I certainly did. I bet everyone here did too.

Ms R works very late hours in the West End in her student bar job and I struggle with my anxiety about how she's getting home in the wee small hours because her company-- up till now-- haven't done the right thing by providing staff taxis. That has changed this week, in light of this terrible event.

So why am I thinking horse/stable door/bolted?

You can only do so much and put so many measures into place to mitigate risk. Yet totally random stuff happens nevertheless.

At what point do we curtail our lives and freedoms because of fear? Serious question.

[ochil]

It only takes one nutcase to mar the good standing of Scottish people.
The folks of Glasgow and Scotland as a whole are fantastic, warm, friendly and have a sense of community. Wish I could have been at the vigil to light a candle for Karen, but I can do that at church. Her parents must be going through unimaginable grief at the loss of their only daughter who had a great future ahead of her. But some evil drop out took her life, I hope her murderer roasts in hell!

Don't know if anyone here is goes to church, but on my visit to Methil I attended church there where the folks were incredibly warm, and friendly, they know if you are a visitor and are so nice making you feel welcome, it was incredible. That is what Scottish folks are truly like.

.

[ozneil]

There are nut cases all over the world, They dont do a lot for my country either and like you I hope they roast in hell

I found Scottish people warm and hospitable and I am rather partial to Scottish ladies, I must admit, and find at least one warm and kind

On the hospitality stakes I find them second only to the Kiwis.

[Deleted]

Today I have been thinking about S*****, from the opening post.

I don't know how she got home to the Southside that night, when she got out of the cab and walked up the main road. Was Alex Pasceau out and about in the area that night, looking for a victim? The very thought chills me to the core and I imagine/wonder if she's maybe thinking the same.

It's all so terribly random.