The family of a missing Whitefield woman learned late Tuesday night she has been found in California.
Janet Binns, mother of 19-year-old Brittany Binns who disappeared from her Townhouse Road home two weeks ago, said Wednesday she has one answer, but not all the answers. Her sole consolation is that foul play was not involved.
“I don’t know what was in this girl’s head. She was raised right. Maybe some day her upbringing will click in,” the mother said.
The young woman’s disappearance sometime between 10 p.m. Oct. 7 and early Oct. 8 sent shockwaves through the tightly knit family and community, and involved at least four detectives from the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Dept. and State Police.
Especially troubling, said Janet Binns, was that law enforcement personnel told her a local person had aided Brittany’s departure. Police cannot divulge further information.
Binns expressed gratitude for all the people who have helped in the search for Brittany and who supported the family through their ordeal. “There are a lot of good people out there. It shows you what support there can be in a small community like this.”
At least 100 members of area Jehovah’s Witness assemblies and other churches, relatives, friends and neighbors turned out last Saturday to search along Cooper and Townhouse Roads for any signs that might relate to the case. Police had earlier found a bicycle belonging to Brittany next to Mazie’s Restaurant at the intersection of Rt. 17 and Cooper Road, but it appeared not to have been ridden to that site.
A woman participating in the search said, “I can’t imagine she’d put her family through this. The Brittany I know wouldn’t do this.”
A note in block letters reading “I am running away” was discovered in the young woman’s bedroom when her mother went to wake her the morning of Oct. 8.