21 year old Elisa Lam
from Vancouver, Canada had come to our city to see the sights but something
happened to her here, and now, the girl with the big smile has disappeared.
Just like that.
She had been staying at the Cecil Hotel in Downtown LA...once one of the
not-so-nice places, it now runs both the hotel and a youth hostel next door;
the two places popular with tourists on a budget.
It was January 31st when anyone last heard from her and now the LAPD has
released surveillance tape from an elevator inside the hotel hoping it leads to
a tip - the tip that will lead them to Elisa.
There is no audio on the video and with no witnesses it's impossible to know
for sure what is happening to her inside that elevator.
It starts off normal enough, but that quickly changes as Elisa is seen pushing
the buttons for at least four different floors. The elevator door never
closes so she begins peeking out and ducking back in. At times she cowers in a
corner as if hiding from someone.
Seconds later, she steps back into the hotel hallway and begins gesturing; her
hands reaching out as if to touch something. Question is, is that something
real or imaginary? Or is she talking to someone we just can't see?
The video then shows her pushing the elevator buttons again, all of them this
time. Over and over she hits the buttons, appearing frantic.
And then, she simply walks out, on that same floor, and vanishes.
Elisa does have a history of depression but apparently nothing like this has
ever happened. She's never been in trouble, say LAPD detectives, and isn't
known to be a drug user.
She also left everything behind - her ID, money, cell phone and computer.
So what happened in that elevator? Was she hallucinating or desperately trying
to get away from someone?
All police know for certain is the girl who phoned home every single day, kept
in touch with her friends on Facebook regularly and was supposed to be here
only for a few days is gone.
Just like that.
If you have any information that could help find Elisa Lam, please call the
LAPD at 1-877-ASK-LAPD.
