October 20, 2011
To whom this may concern,
It’s been a while. Robbie and I just got back to Bloomington. Our trip from the airport was reminiscent of the first time we came here. As on June 3rd, our first stop was to the Bloomington Police Department. Unlike June 3rd, our next stop was to the Post Office. In case you’ve forgotten, we set up a PO Box for Lauren early on, where people could send truly anonymous information regarding her disappearance. Typically, I check the PO Box and then we turn everything over to the police department, they then follow-up on any viable information. I opened the letters I picked up this time. One of them was addressed to me, marked confidential with an explanation mark. I opened and read the letter. The writer of the letter did not sign their name and I have no way of knowing who sent it. Clearly the point of the PO Box, to be anonymous. I quote, “We are sorry about your missing daughter. But don’t you think it’s time to do the right thing by Bloomington and stop littering our town with your posters?” It goes on to say “You have had a lot of supporters but now you are offending a good many of us.”
Let me share a personal story with you, relevant because it does have to do with Lauren’s posters. The first time I went back to New York was extremely difficult. Walking into our home, going in to Lauren’s bedroom, seeing photos of her, feeling her presence everywhere. During that trip, Rebecca was taken to the emergency room. It was terrifying. Robbie, our friend Maria and I drove to the hospital as soon as we heard the news. We went into see her one at a time. She was lying in the emergency room, in tremendous pain, waiting to be diagnosed. Those hours, waiting to find out what was wrong were agonizing. The next few days were agonizing. Thankfully she recovered and is fine. The point of my retelling this is that when we walked into the lobby of the emergency room, in Manhattan, on the security guard’s desk, taped to the front was a poster of Lauren. She was there with her sister and with us.
To the anonymous writer of the letter directed at me, if your goal was to hurt me, you were successful. Making me feel worse than I already do for imposing on Bloomington. Believe me, I wish we had never had to hang one single poster for our missing child. The truth of the matter is, Lauren did disappear in Bloomington, Indiana. I apologize for our intrusion. I hope you never have to hang a poster for your missing child, but believe me; I will be alongside you if you should ever find yourself in my place. Rest assured, Lauren’s posters have been seen in many places outside of Bloomington. We’ve been told Lauren’s Missing posters have been seen across the country on cars and trucks, reminding anyone who happens to notice that a 20 year old girl is missing. A girl who could be you. A girl who could be your child, your friend, your daughter. Thank goodness for that. We have no plans to give up our search for Lauren.
Our family continues to feel thankful for law enforcement agencies, friends old and new, family and complete strangers who support us. For your patience, kind words, gentle hugs, knowing glances, we thank you. For everyone who has ever participated in a search, Laps for Lauren, Reposting Lauren’s posters on August 28th, standing in the rain with us at Shine4Lauren, words cannot convey our gratitude. We are blessed to know you. Thank you all for helping keep Lauren’s story alive.
In closing, I come back to you. It’s now October. I never expected to see October without Lauren. I never expected to feel the change of seasons. When the initial searches began, someone said searches for Lauren would be easier once the leaves fell and the fields of summer crops had been cleared. Once hunting season begins, virtually another source of searchers would come into play. I guess you’ve known all along, we would still be searching for Lauren on this fall day. While statistics are against us after almost five months, our family continues to hold that shred of hope for Lauren’s safe return. How could we not. You have the ability to end this nightmare. With every beat of my heart and every fiber of my body, I wish for Lauren’s return. You alone, have the knowledge which can return Lauren to us. While it took cowardice to take Lauren off the streets of Bloomington, June 3, 2011, I offer a coward’s alternative to providing the truth. An anonymous post office box. The price of a stamp stands between you and me. I am waiting to hear from you. Maybe today will be the day your letter makes its way to the post office box. We will never stop looking for Lauren. We will never give up. We are as determined today as we were on June 3rd.
Charlene Spierer
Original #FindLauren poster.
Find Lauren
PO Box 1226
Bloomington, IN 47402
