Sneha Philip

[ZanzibarBlue]

Anyone aware of any updates on the case of Sneha Philip, the 31-year old Manhattan doctor who disappeared September 10, 2001? A terribly tragic story. I believe it was profilied on UM as well as other shows. I always felt that it was pure coincidence that she went missing the day before 9-11 and never believed that she could have (or would have been allowed to) enter the Twin Towers after the planes struck. If she was rendering medical attention that morning, it would have most likely been down the street or at a nearby location. I understand that the police and fire personnel were trying to get people OUT of the buildings as quickly as possible. Also the fact that the department store videotape appears to show her shopping with another woman, and the shopping bags were never found at her apartment.

I was shocked to learn recently that there was another woman who disappeared on September 11, 2001, after the attack. This woman apparently called loved ones to say that she was all right and was coming home, but just disappeared. I wonder why that case did not get more attention?

[wadahoot]

Anyone aware of any updates on the case of Sneha Philip, the 31-year old Manhattan doctor who disappeared September 10, 2001?
I was just reading up on this story and found your post. When I searched this forum, there was another thread about her here (http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/showthread.php?t=82584&highlight=SNEHA+PHILIP) What's interesting is that the poster said that she must still be missing since her story was still on the missing person board - but now, in 2005, it is no longer listed. Does that mean she was found? I can't find any current reference to her to try and answer this!

I was shocked to learn recently that there was another woman who disappeared on September 11, 2001, after the attack. This woman apparently called loved ones to say that she was all right and was coming home, but just disappeared. I wonder why that case did not get more attention?
Can you give any links to this story? Thanks!

[Brent88]

This case has baffled me... to my knowledge, she has not been located(dead or alive). This board is VERY good about updates...

[PrettyinPink55]

Very baffling case indeed!

[ZanzibarBlue]

Actually I am surprised at how little there is about this story, however, I would anticipate additional coverage with the 4 year anniversary coming up in Sept. The only articles that I have been able to retrieve via the Internet have been New York Daily News and Newsday articles shortly after the disappearance.

I will locate and attempt to post hyperlinks to the story regarding the other person who disappeared after apparently escaping the World Trade Center on 9/11. It is reference in a previous Message Board thread on this subject.

The story of Sneha Philip is one that just got to me. Maybe it is because it occurred in the shadow of 9/11 and it's an individual story of loss that allows me emotionally to deal with the shock of the mass murder that occurred as a result of the World Trade Center terrorist attack. I guess I'm not really sure why it's so compelling.

I am not prepared at this point to advance a theory as to her disappearance. There are several questions that I have thought a lot about which I think someone must have an answer to:

1. Is it really impossible to locate the women with whom Dr. Philip was seen shopping?

Comment: I am not sure that I could walk into any store in America, purchase items and not be identified through some means. First, they can locate Dr. Philip's credit card transaction, and review the transactions immediately prior and after her purchase to see who might have purchased clothes at the same time. If that purchased items using a credit card, their credit card information can be used to identify them. If the person paid in cash, the store would at least have the inventory tracking numbers and item descriptions of those purchased by the person paying cash. The store could also determine whether those items were ever returned and at which store location. Second, the in-store security cameras could reveal what this person was wearing, what other shopping bags she might have been carrying, in addition to her general description. I would think that the store security personnel could determine whether a person matching that description was present at any other stores earlier or later in the evening. Also, external security camears at the store could determine whether this person left the parking lot in a car, or in which direction they walked, if they exited on the street level. Finally, I find it difficult to believe that a Manhattan doctor would "befriend" a total stranger in a store. If they met at work, at home, or through a mutual acquaintance, the person must be know and be able to be identified by others.

2. Have there been any similar disappearances in that section of lower Manhattan around the same time?

The area around the World Trade Center in lower Manhattan has an extremely low crime rate. I find it difficult to believe that anyone would come in from outside the area to abduct an adult, given the volume of people in the area, the fact it would be difficult to get out of there once the abduction took place, and the sophistication (in a streetwise sense) of residents of that area vis a vis strangers. This isn't like a child abducter targeting a suburban shopping mall looking for kids. Any pattern of adult abductions in that area would be easily identified. The bottom line here is that I don't believe a random abduction would likely take place in or around that store in the World Trade Center.

3. Is there a reason that this story has received such little coverage after it first occurred?

This is particularly baffling to me because it's such a compelling missing persons story, and (except for UM and Dateline or its ilk) I have never heard it mentioned in a national new forum in the past year. Yet, we constantly hear about Natalee Halloway, et al. Is it possible that the news organizations have access to unpublished facts? For example, do they know, but cannot prove conclusively that she is still alive and her disappearance was voluntary? Bottom line, why have there been no updates?

Any thoughts?

[mistagee]

My thoughts are that she was hanging out with a girlfirend and it got late and she was walking home and got caught in the attack and was crushed by the debris. Being a doctor, she probably rushed to the scene, or was on her "walk of shame" home the next mornng and was killed in the attacks. It is also probable that her freind was probably killed also, which is why her items havent shown up. Indian women tend to be friends with other Indian women, so I would recommend you see which Indian american women were killed in the attack and perhaps see if her items were found in her apartment. Also, perhaps she didnt take the purchases home with her, that is also a possibility.

And will people please stop proposing the following scenario, because it makes me insane:

"Perhaps the____________________ (insert the name of missing person) had an injury and doesnt remember who they are."

That happens maybe in less than one percent of missing persons cases.
:confused:

[Mr.Clairvoyant]

Or it is possible that she played a role in the attacks and has disappeared voluntary.. Once again odd that an adult was abducted for not apparent reason, No ransom was ever requested and the whole shopping trip with the mysterious woman is obviously a ruse.. After all why hasn't the woman ever stepped forward to say she was with Sneha. The circumstances surrounding this case are very baffling VERY!!!!!!!!

[Kane]

Bottom line, why have there been no updates?

Because Sneha is still missing, plain and simple answer. If or when there is a development in the case, there will be an update.

[ZanzibarBlue]

In my opinion this case was one of the most intriguing ever profilied on UM.

I believe that this is one of those cases (and there are many of them) that the investigators have a pretty good idea of what happened and who was involved based on evidence that has not been made public. In most cases, the reason that they do not want to make the evidence public is because: (a) they don't want to "spook" the suspect(s) who may slip up at some future point in time; or (b) the picture is incomplete and they are working on getting additional evidence to clarify what actually happened. Because we, the interested public, do not know all the facts, we become frustrated at the lack of progress, even though the police have "solved" the mystery for all intents and purposes.

I have always been surprised at the lack of publicity concerning this case (after the initial reports of her missing). To me this suggests that the investigators, family members and media are fairly certain of what happened. It's always been difficult for me to believe that she perished in the World Trade Center collapse because, if she was treating people as a doctor, she would have done so on the street outside, plus the police, fire and security crews would have been keeping civilians as far away as possible to aid in the evacuation. A stranger abduction is also difficult to accept because she was in an area of Manhattan with a low crime rate and one that would not be conducive for abductions. In my opinon, the 2 most likely scenarios are that she met with foul play at the hands of someone she knew or that she disappeared intentionally, using 9/11 as a cover. She may have been from India originally, and it is possible that she left the US to return there. Unfortuantely, the first scenario is the more likely.

A final thought, it would be interesting to see the percentage of men and women who disappear voluntarily. I would guess that it is approx. 75% male to 25% female.

[Kane]

In my opinion this case was one of the most intriguing ever profilied on UM.

I believe that this is one of those cases (and there are many of them) that the investigators have a pretty good idea of what happened and who was involved based on evidence that has not been made public. In most cases, the reason that they do not want to make the evidence public is because: (a) they don't want to "spook" the suspect(s) who may slip up at some future point in time; or (b) the picture is incomplete and they are working on getting additional evidence to clarify what actually happened. Because we, the interested public, do not know all the facts, we become frustrated at the lack of progress, even though the police have "solved" the mystery for all intents and purposes.

ZanzibarBlue, your post is further proof that great minds think alike. ;)

I've been saying the same kind of thing that you said. Often times we have take into consideration that the investigators might actually have ideas about what happened and/or who was involved, but is reluctant to publicly release such information due to a lack of evidence. Indeed, they don't want to scare anyone off by outing them as suspects through the media, especially when the person is not even aware that he or she is a potential suspect.

That kind of situaton nearly ruined the investigation of the Green River murders. Long before Gary Ridgeway was identified as the infamous Green River serial killer, the cops had a long list of suspects, some of whom were unaware they were under suspicion. Somehow, the media was nosy enough to get a hold of some names, and suddenly, some of these men were publicly outed as Green River suspects. When this happened, they were unjustly vilified!

Cops want to do everything possible to avoid such scenarios. A situation like that could get them sued for defamation.

[ZanzibarBlue]

Thanks Kane. UM has profiled several cases in which the official status is "Unsolved", yet the investigators appear to know what happened. 2 that spring to mind are the Cleveland Torso Slayer case, where there was no arrest, indictment, or conviction, yet Eliot Ness remarked to a reporter later that "This case has been solved." Also, more recently, there was a case where a woman disappeared, the husband was interviewed on UM acknowledged that he had been abusive, but claiming that he was not involved in her disappearance. Several years later there was an update in which the husband had shot and killed his current finance/wife and her friend and then committed suicide. Although the first wife's disappearance remained "unsolved" the circumstances certainly indicate the her husband murdered her and hid the body.

[Kane]

Also, more recently, there was a case where a woman disappeared, the husband was interviewed on UM acknowledged that he had been abusive, but claiming that he was not involved in her disappearance. Several years later there was an update in which the husband had shot and killed his current finance/wife and her friend and then committed suicide. Although the first wife's disappearance remained "unsolved" the circumstances certainly indicate the her husband murdered her and hid the body.

It sounds like the case involving Stephen Marfeo. His wife Doreen disappeared in 1990. Nine years later, Stephen shot and killed his girlfriend, and tried to kill the man she was with, and killed himself soon afterwards.

A station in my area, FOX 25 (a Boston FOX affiliate), did a feature on that case as part of its weekly "Unsolved" segment on its nightly news program. They profiled that case last year, and the cops were (and I imagine still are) no closer to solving Doreen's disappearance than they were in 1990. :(