Missing woman - Aoife Phelan

Abi

Another missing person

Really hope she is found safe and sound.

Aoife Phelan was last seen Thursday evening when she was visiting a friend’s house.

She is described as being approximately 5'7'' in height, slim build, has long blonde/sandy coloured hair and blue eyes.

When last seen she was wearing jeans and a knitted jumper.

She also has a red bomber style jacket with her.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Portlaoise Garda Station on 057-8674100, the Garda Confidential Telephone Line 1800 666 111 or any garda station.

Link: http://www.rte.ie/news/2012/1027/gardai-seek-help-to-find-missing-aoife-phelan.html

woodoo

Yeah its very sad. Hopefully she will be found OK. Very worrying that she is pregnant too.

Mam of 4

The Irish Mail On Sunday has a picture of Aoife on page 4, it might help people to remember if they've seen her.

Please have a look , any information would be of help I'm sure.

Too many ppl going missing

jluv

Dont know if it's just a new thing to post but we are hearing of so many missing people?? Safe home Aoife..

El Guapo!

Fúck sake. We're gonna need a missing persons forum at this rate!
What is going on?? Hopefully she's found safe and sound.

Cunning Stunt

I saw this this morning - and the first thing i thought was why didn't RTE mention where she was last seen?? They only say she is from Laois and that she was visiting a friends house..they could at least put some effort into it.

Anyway I hope she is found safe and well.

Mr.Crinklewood

I know I'm repeating myself, but I rarely notice these stickies or perhaps see them once and don't go in again as they are rarely updated.

It's great that Boards highlight these things, it's grab that Boards make an attempt to keep them in the public eye by making them stickies.

Is there anyway these stickies can be a different colour or font size?

Could a PM be sent to all users? If certain users didn't like these they could opt out.

Sulla Felix

Dean09 wrote: »

Fúck sake. We're gonna need a missing persons forum at this rate!
What is going on?? Hopefully she's found safe and sound.

There was a forum request a while back. Was shot down because naturally, AH has a lot of traffic and it's hoped that it'll help find some of these people.

Stheno

Cunning Stunt wrote: »

I saw this this morning - and the first thing i thought was why didn't RTE mention where she was last seen?? They only say she is from Laois and that she was visiting a friends house..they could at least put some effort into it.

Anyway I hope she is found safe and well.

From http://www.independent.ie/national-news/gardai-fear-for-safety-of-missing-pregnant-woman-3277184.html

Members of Ms Phelan's family have put up posters around town and on lampposts along Collier's Lane where she was last seen as she left a friend's house shortly after 8pm on Thursday. She is understood to have been heading home.

Gardai discovered that her mobile phone was last traced to a transmitting mast in Mountmellick about an hour after she went missing, before it was switched off. Ms Phelan has friends in the area, but she has not made contact with them.

Overheal

Mr.Crinklewood wrote: »

I know I'm repeating myself, but I rarely notice these stickies or perhaps see them once and don't go in again as they are rarely updated.

It's great that Boards highlight these things, it's grab that Boards make an attempt to keep them in the public eye by making them stickies.

Is there anyway these stickies can be a different colour or font size?

Could a PM be sent to all users? If certain users didn't like these they could opt out.

I'll make sure this idea is seen by someone in the head office.

Keep in mind I think it would be a nuisance that would get ignored eventually if made to be too 'obnoxious'. For instance the interstate I drive through 3 days a week has LED signs on it which are meant to be filled with pertinent information, such as traffic/travel estimates, detours and accident notices, and AMBER alerts (America's Missing Broadcast Emergency Response). AMBER alerts were one of the primary goals of installing the signs.

The problem though? 6 months after they were built, they stopped bothering to put traffic and travel data on them. Now all they say 99% of the time is "Watch Out - Motorcycles are Everywhere". Since this information rarely if ever changes, I hardly notice these big, amber-LED signs still exist anymore. Which means the system is not working as intended.

I think reserving elevated alert systems would be useful only as part of a warning system that dealt with only the most time-severe situations, such as a child abduction. I believe you introduced CRI - Child Rescue Ireland, just this year. I'm sure boards.ie wouldn't mind playing part to such a system.

Even in the US, the AMBER alert system is reserved only for extreme cases, where it is a child abduction by a stranger (not a parental custody battle), and when authorities know the identity of the child abducted, and when the child has definitely been abducted, and is not simply lost (ie. wandered off in the woods to play robin hood and didn't tell mom). This is so people don't become dis-sensitized to the severity of the alerts, which are designed to be acted on with immediate urgency by the general populace: some statistics indicate that in 75% of actual abduction cases, the abductor will murder the child within the first three hours.

There are very few motorcyclists in south carolina to boot.

Michael Weston

Mr.Crinklewood wrote: »

I know I'm repeating myself, but I rarely notice these stickies or perhaps see them once and don't go in again as they are rarely updated.

It's great that Boards highlight these things, it's grab that Boards make an attempt to keep them in the public eye by making them stickies.

Is there anyway these stickies can be a different colour or font size?

Could a PM be sent to all users? If certain users didn't like these they could opt out.

Think thats a great idea, hope this girl is found safe and well.

Mr.Crinklewood

Update:-

FEARS are mounting for the safety of a missing 30-year-old pregnant woman with gardai admitting her disappearance is a mystery.

Gardai were due to examine her phone records today. Aoife Phelan – who is four months pregnant – has not been seen since last Thursday.

She was visiting a friend when she received a text message from somebody asking to meet her and has not been seen since.

Gardai are becoming increasingly concerned for her wellbeing after the last sighting of the childminder in Co Laois.

There have been no confirmed sightings of Aoife, a native of Ballyroan, Co Laois, since she was seen at Colliers Lane in Portlaoise at around 8pm on Thursday.

A senior source said today: “We are not ruling out anything and we are keeping an open mind. There are big concerns for the safety of Aoife.”

The alarm was raised after she failed to turn up at her childminding job last Friday morning.

Her family reported her missing later that day.

Her family believe she may have arranged a lift from Portlaoise on the night she vanished.

They also think her phone was switched off at around 9pm in the Mountmellick area, a short drive from Portlaoise.

This morning gardai were trawling through Aoife's phone and bank records.

Aoife's family yesterday called off a planned search of the area around where she disappeared on the advice of gardai.

Her father Michael (58) and her mother Betty (57) are deeply concerned for her safety. Aoife is the fifth of 12 children.

Her mother said she had not noticed any abrupt change in mood before her daughter's disappearance.

Her dad Michael revealed: “We have no clue where she is or what has happened.”

Gardai in Portlaoise are again appealing to anyone who has any information about Aoife's whereabouts.

She is about 5ft 7in in height, of slim build and has long blonde/sandy coloured hair and blue eyes.

When last seen she was wearing jeans, a knitted jumper and carrying a red bomber-style jacket with her.

Anyone who can assist in locating her is asked to contact Portlaoise garda station on 057- 8674100, the garda confidential phone line 1800 666 111 or any garda station.

- Ken Foy

____________________________

Twitter Feed update.

Philthy

I really hope they aren't right, Aoife is a lovely girl. Please god she will come home safe.


"Lake search for missing Laois woman"

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2012/1031/breaking45.html

curlzy

Oh god help her and her child. Hope they're both ok : (

Talib Fiasco

Between all the missing people cases and they cyber bullying lately it'd be incredibly good to have a positive safe outcome out of one of them. I hope to God she and baby are safe now and will hope everything will turn out the way it should.

Barry Barry

Sorry to go off topic but whats happened to the missing guy from Kildare? (I think it was Kildare)

LizT

Barry Barry wrote: »

Sorry to go off topic but whats happened to the missing guy from Kildare? (I think it was Kildare)

His body was found.

caste_in_exile

Sigh.. safe return

And rip cormac; gutted at the seemingly invevitable news felt I knew him by just looking at him.. silly I know but young people in particular need to stop doing that.

the potential to find a self contentedness later in life should not be denied, even I could not manage that - we carry on.

ReadWrite

Is it just me or has there been an increase in the number of people going missing ? I feel like I'm hearing about missing people a lot lately. It's very unsettling.

Kerrydude1981

ReadWrite wrote: »

Is it just me or has there been an increase in the number of people going missing ? I feel like I'm hearing about missing people a lot lately. It's very unsettling.

Same here,nearly every week now there seems to be a missing person story

Hank Scorpio

ReadWrite wrote: »

Is it just me or has there been an increase in the number of people going missing ? I feel like I'm hearing about missing people a lot lately. It's very unsettling.

Was thinking the same thing. Hope everything works out OK in this particular case

hardCopy

People go missing all the time, we just don't hear of most. Social media allows us to get the word out faster so we hear about more.

caste_in_exile

People do indeed go missing a lot but I know when I'd throw a strop n storm out they knew I'd be back after a few nights, weeks maybe.. that these things get reported by people who know them, I mean her sisters for instance one looks utterly bereft the other looks completely freaked out and this trend we see whilst not knowing her character at all..

its a real concern, let alone the uncertainty within of where to sleep where the heads at etc and I feel for people in that scenario alone, let alone the other n seeing her sisters like that isn't too good either.

queen of Umaill

I hope she is found safe and well.The family god help them.My thoughts and prayers are with them.

Its ok sorry she has been found safe the teenager.

Halloran springs

queen of Umaill wrote: »

I hope she is found safe and well.The family god help them.My thoughts and prayers are with them.

Its ok sorry she has been found safe the teenager.

Am I reading this correctly? Source?

kraggy

Halloran springs wrote: »

Am I reading this correctly? Source?

He's referring to a girl from Naas who was also missing. Not Aoife Phelan.

I had to look twice at the post and think about it. A bit of a careless post if you ask me.

The Big Red Button

She's still missing ... according to this article in the Independent, the Gardaí don't seem to have much of an idea of what happened.

It's very strange, how she could just vanish like that.

billybudd

chatterpillar wrote: »

She's still missing ... according to this article in the Independent, the Gardaí don't seem to have much of an idea of what happened.

It's very strange, how she could just vanish like that.

Alot of women in that part of country have vanished over the years, it is very strange, hope she returns home.

up for anything

This is so low profile as to be not in the news at all. If she were one of mine I would be creating a ruckus. There was more motivation to search for Shergar back in the day.

kraggy

up for anything wrote: »

This is so low profile as to be not in the news at all. If she were one of mine I would be creating a ruckus. There was more motivation to search for Shergar back in the day.

It's on the independent.ie website. Hope she's found.

A missing loved one must be one of the hardest things someone can go through.

HeyThereDeliah

up for anything wrote: »

This is so low profile as to be not in the news at all. If she were one of mine I would be creating a ruckus. There was more motivation to search for Shergar back in the day.

This might be at the request of her family, we do not know the circumstances of her disappearance.
if a family requests no media exposure then that's what will happen.

January

Man has been arrested in connection with this case

http://www.thejournal.ie/man-arrested-in-connection-with-murder-of-missing-aoife-phelan-662510-Nov2012/?utm_source=twitter_self

Fr_Dougal

January wrote: »

Man has been arrested in connection with this case

http://www.thejournal.ie/man-arrested-in-connection-with-murder-of-missing-aoife-phelan-662510-Nov2012/?utm_source=twitter_self

That explains why the reporting in the case has been somewhat scant.

RIP.

caste_in_exile

****sake.

goodie2shoes

wasn't it reported the Gaurds said they initially felt there was no foul play suspected.


the area she was last seen in is the same area so many women/girls have disappeared from.
they really haven't a clue do they?

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/gardai-highly-unlikely-missing-aoife-was-victim-of-foul-play-3278624.html

Death and Taxes

goodie2shoes wrote: »

wasn't it reported the Gaurds said they initially felt there was no foul play suspected.


the area she was last seen in is the same area so many women/girls have disappeared from.
they really haven't a clue do they?

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/gardai-highly-unlikely-missing-aoife-was-victim-of-foul-play-3278624.html

Since they have arrested some guy in his twenties they seem to have more clue than you, unless this guy is responsible for all those other missing women in which case he has been at it since his confirmation.
Let the Gardai do their job.
My thoughts are with Aoife's family tonight.

Stheno

RIP if it's true.

God love her family

goodie2shoes

WileyCoyote wrote: »

Since they have arrested some guy in his twenties they seem to have more clue than you, unless this guy is responsible for all those other missing women in which case he has been at it since his confirmation.
Let the Gardai do their job.
My thoughts are with Aoife's family tonight.

i would have thought that given the number of women gone missing in that area, they would have been more concerned earlier rather than dismiss her disappearance as they did.
perhaps they might have prevented her murder?
the guards are not above criticism you know.

i'm sure everyone's sympathy are for her family.

Stheno

goodie2shoes wrote: »

i would have thought that given the number of women gone missing in that area, they would have been more concerned earlier rather than dismiss her disappearance as they did.
perhaps they might have prevented her murder?
the guards are not above criticism you know.

i'm sure everyone's sympathy are for her family.

In fairness this has been in the news quite a lot, I'm abroad and everyday there were news articles about it, I'm from that area and was following it.

Abi

goodie2shoes wrote: »

wasn't it reported the Gaurds said they initially felt there was no foul play suspected.


the area she was last seen in is the same area so many women/girls have disappeared from.
they really haven't a clue do they?

I know it sounds daft, but I think they were trying to minimize the media on it for a reason. There was no more mention of the person that texted her that she left to meet. Perhaps not to scare this person off? I know I'm just guessing, but that just sprung to mind

It is understood she received a text message while visiting friends in the Colliers View estate. After receiving the message, she indicated she was going to meet someone, but subsequently disappeared.

Although the content of the text message cannot be retrieved unless her phone is found, gardai will be able to identify the sender from her phone records.

there was just nothing more said about it.

Stheno

Abi wrote: »

I know it sounds daft, but I think they were trying to minimize the media on it for a reason. There was no more mention of the person that texted her that she left to meet. Perhaps not to scare this person off? I know I'm just guessing, but that just sprung to mind



there was just nothing more said about it.

Massive search underway this evening for her apparently.

Mam of 4

If the man they have arrested is responsible,lets just hope he has some shred of humanity and tells where she can be found.

Hopefully her family will be able to get some closure soon, one way or another.

Thoughts and prayers with her family and everyone involved in searching for her.

Halloran springs

Is it just me or has there been a noticeable spike in these murder/kidnap cases of Irish women recently, Jill Meagher, Catherine Gowing, Aoife Phelan, Nicola Furlong, Michaela Harte and probably more both at home and abroad. I don't know what to say except be careful out there, the world is a dangerous place.

B0jangles

Halloran springs wrote: »

Is it just me or has there been a noticeable spike in these murder/kidnap cases of Irish women recently, Jill Meagher, Catherine Gowing, Aoife Phelan, Nicola Furlong, Michaela Harte and probably more both at home and abroad. I don't know what to say except be careful out there, the world is a dangerous place.

edit: Not appropriate for this thread. Hoping Aoife gets home safely and soon.

suicide_circus

Gardai believe she has been murdered and a man is being questioned

http://m.rte.ie/news/2012/1106/gardai-continue-to-question-man-over-missing-woman.html

goodie2shoes

suicide_circus wrote: »

Gardai believe she has been murdered and a man is being questioned

http://m.rte.ie/news/2012/1106/gardai-continue-to-question-man-over-missing-woman.html

THEY'RE QUICK OFF THE MARK!
i'll give 'em that.
:rolleyes:

kraggy

goodie2shoes wrote: »

THEY'RE QUICK OFF THE MARK!
i'll give 'em that.
:rolleyes:

Give it a rest.

What do you want them to do? Make a hasty arrest and screw up the investigation?

Say what you want about the gardai, but their track record in solving murder cases is excellent.

goodie2shoes

kraggy wrote: »

Give it a rest.

What do you want them to do? Make a hasty arrest and screw up the investigation?

Say what you want about the gardai, but their success in solving murder cases is excellent.

yes although tragic, it's good they eventually shifted their focus and made an arrest. btw i would like to point out that the case has NOT yet been solved. you have been watching too many cheap american crime dramas perhaps.

my sympathy also goes to all those other girls/women missing in this area, presumed dead. the focus on their disappearance should also have been shifted sooner from missing persons, and perhaps just perhaps they might have gotten better results.

kraggy

goodie2shoes wrote: »

yes although tragic, it's good they eventually shifted their focus and made an arrest. btw i would like to point out that the case has NOT yet been solved. you have been watching too many cheap american crime dramas perhaps.

my sympathy also goes to all those other girls/women missing in this area, presumed dead. the focus on their disappearance should also have been shifted sooner from missing persons, and perhaps just perhaps they might have gotten better results.

Where did I say it was solved? I didn't.

I was merely defending the gardai's handling of the case thus far saying that it's best to do things right than to mess things up.

Enough of the bickering. If the expected is indeed confirmed in the next hours/days, may she rest in peace and sympathies to the family. It is unimaginable what they must be going through.

lukesmom

Cannot begin to imagine the hell her family are going through.

The guards have to follow certain procedures when investigating someone's disappearance and if they got it wrong they would be hounded that is why they are meticulous. Slagging them off does nothing to help as they do a good job.

goodie2shoes

kraggy wrote: »

Where did I say it was solved? I didn't.

I was merely defending the gardai's handling of the case thus far saying that it's best to do things right than to mess things up.

Enough of the bickering. If the expected is indeed confirmed in the next hours/days, may she rest in peace and sympathies to the family. It is unimaginable what they must be going through.

i agree our thoughts must be for her poor family.
this is your worst nightmare.

my point is i believe the guards were very quick to dismiss this as simply another girl has gone missing and no need to worry. any girl that goes missing in that area, you have to assume the worst. (btw i believe a serial killer has been operating in that area for some time, but they dismiss that also. again i disagree with them.)
their track record in apprehending those responsible for what must be almost a dozen missing women in this state is very poor.