SAN BERNARDINO >> The search for a missing local woman that spanned nearly two weeks, led police to two ”persons of interest,” and which ended up with the woman seeing herself on T.V. and
calling her dad and asking to come home, will cost the city well over $20,000 in overtime, the city’s police chief said.
“That’s an early estimate,” according to San Bernardino Police Chief Jarrod Burguan. “We haven’t factored in other resources yet that were used in the search for her.”
Barber, 22, of San Bernardino, was reported missing March 9.
At the time, she last had been seen around 6 a.m. and made her way to work from her apartment in the 1500 block of West Northpark Boulevard, across the street from Cal State San Bernardino, police said. Roommates found several of her belongings scattered on the lawn outside the complex. The case had an added layer of urgency, because it broke as the nearby Cal State University campus was dealing with concerns about recent violent attacks on women there. Police later determined there was no relation.
Police detectives, patrol officers, horseback-mounted officers along with San Bernardino County Sheriff’s aviation division searched local areas around Little Mountain and a ranch in Redlands in hopes of finding her, or evidence of her.
Barber was found safe after seeing herself on television. She called her father, Stephen Barber, of Victorville, who immediately called police.
Officials said Barber was found in Los Angeles.
The case brought national attention, with Barber and police urging the public to help with any information and prayers for the woman, know as an affectionate person, with a penchant for graphic design and with many friends and no known enemies. The public pleas brought immediate public support for the family and for the police, already dealing with a short-handed department and reeling from the city’s bankruptcy and a heavy load of other cases.
Police were shocked when they found out she’d called home.
“We probably have to get some questions answered from some of the witnesses that provided information to us early on in this case because obviously that information led investigators in one specific direction,” he said at the time.
At one time police had two “persons of interest” in the case who were being investigated by homicide detectives.
“They (the persons of interest) gave misleading statements, which led police to believe something else transpired,” Lawhead said Monday on a local radio broadcast hosted by Lou Desmond. “They were involved from the start
It was unclear if police can charge the persons of interest in this case with a crime.
“People lie to the police all of the time,” Burguan said. “Although it doesn’t usually amount to a cost as large as this.”
Police executives will decide when or if they can charge someone with a crime, and city officials will have to decide how to recover the cost for searching for Barber
Sahray Barber's full statement regarding her disappearance
SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. Sahray Barber, a San Bernardino art student who went missing for 10 days earlier this month, released the following statement regarding her disappearance:
I need to start by thanking everyone.
To my family and friends, the entire San Bernardino Police Department, any and all the government officials and organizations, and everyone that prayed and assisted in finding me. Thank you. Thank you so much for all the love and support, and all the time, effort and resources you put into brining me home. Most of all I need to thank God. I felt God's protection and guidance the whole way, and I know I wouldn't have made it unharmed through all I did without it. I ask for every ones forgiveness, most especially my wonderful family for all the worry and long nights I caused you, and all the amazing men, women, dogs and horses that searched for me through so many nights and days.
I was honestly shocked when I learned from S.B.P.D. personnel and my family all that had been done to locate me. I expected to be another missing person's case and, having not planned to return, I'd chosen not to look back or pay any mind to any searches or investigations related to my disappearance. I never could have imagined any of this, just like I had no clue what the impact of my leaving would have on so many lives.
I have always striven to do my best in school. In High School, like a lot of people, I felt the all expectations and pressures that came with achieving and maintaining a high GPA. I graduated High School with Honors. Since I started my Associates in Graphic Design, I've had my share of easy and tough classes, and good and bad quarters, some of which I felt I barely made it through. I'd received some scary low grades in one quarter but I felt good going into my final quarter.
Really good actually, I felt I had a great recipe for a successful conclusion to my first leg of college. Unfortunately, I tried to keep myself standing tall as I was hit by the various stresses, pressures, class deadlines, and life challenges I was inexperienced in such as: losing my vehicle in a traffic accident and having to rely on friends and family for transportation, my computer equipment and software needed to complete my assignments becoming inoperable and having a hard time keeping up with my class work as a result, and through all of this the ever looming portfolio show and end of my job.
By not reaching out to family or even school officials, I created a recipe for disaster. I was supposed to be graduating, but instead of having my perfect quarter, things fell apart. I was scared and it felt like the whole world was pressing down on me. Things got so bad that I didn't know what to say or HOW to ask for help. I had dug a hole so deep, that I felt entirely hopeless. That Monday morning (March 9, 2015) when I reached the gate, I felt I needed to lighten my load. I didn't intend on ever coming back or being found so I dropped my stuff over the wall and walked away with just a bit of cash. Eventually public transportation and God's guidance took me to Los Angeles.
During the 10 days I was gone, God brought me in contact with many people in Los Angeles. I could feel his guidance and protection through them. Some of them were like angels, helping me stay alive, or teaching me the things God had brought me there to learn. To everyone I met in L.A. who helped me in even the smallest way whether you know it or not, I would like to thank you all very much as well.
The majority of my time in L.A. was spent in two different hospitals under a fictitious name. On the day I was released from the second hospital, I was blessed by making the acquaintance of another angel. She had no idea who I was, she just realized I wasn't where I belonged and wanted to help me. She convinced me to open up to her and then to let her call my dad. She was like God's messenger telling me my journey was complete and it was time to return home.
In closing, I know what I did was incredibly dumb and that I am only here by the grace of God. But I am not at all ashamed of what I did. I know that I did what I had to do, and went where I needed to be. Now I know I am back where I belong and I have a new appreciation for myself and for all of the amazing people that I have in my life. I have and am getting the help and support I need as I now work on getting my life back on track.
God Bless with Sincere Love and Many Thanks,
-Sahray Barber