While the search for Mitrice Richardson continues, her father has continually been putting officials here in Malibu, in addition to Sheriff’s and police detectives, under pressure to do something to find her. So much so that it has caused concern for the mayor of Malibu, Andy Stern.
Earlier this month Stern filed a report with the Sheriff’s Department after Michael Richardson left a voice mail on the mayor’s cell phone service that the mayor found threatening.
Stern said that Richardson had called him several times on Oct. 2 wanting to speak with him about his daughter who has been missing since Sept. 17 after being released from the Lost Hills-Malibu Sheriff’s Station. Stern said the father had become abusive while speaking to him on the phone so he hung up on Richardson.
Richardson then left a message saying, in a strong tone, among other things, that he would send a busload of people to protest at an address that Stern identified as his office.
Stern said Richardson wanted him, and the city, to do something about his missing daughter, but the mayor said, “We don’t the have the authority and ability and know how to tell emergency people what to do.
“If he somehow thinks we’re unsympathetic, he’s wrong,” Stern continued. But “that’s not the role of a city council member or mayor … to tell emergency and law enforcement what to do.”
The city has not made any formal announcement or taken any sort of action regarding the missing woman. The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors authorized a $10,000 reward for information leading to her whereabouts.
Michael Richardson could not be reached for this story.
Councilmember Jefferson Wagner said Richardson and family members had come by his Zuma Jay’s surf shop on Pacific Coast Highway several times with fliers in the past few weeks, and had asked to speak with the councilman, but he was not in during those times. Wagner had listened to the message Richardson left for Stern, and said although he did not consider it to be “constructive,” he understood the frustration that Richardson is going through in looking for his daughter.
“Who knows how you’re going to act if you have a missing kid,” Jefferson said. “If my daughter was missing, I don’t know what I’d do …”
Lost Hills-Malibu Sheriff’s officials said an investigation is underway regarding the report of the “annoying or threatening” phone call.
Meanwhile, family members and friends have been canvassing Malibu with fliers asking for information and help in finding Mitrice Richardson, and conducting searches in the local mountain areas. A search on Sunday in the Santa Monica and Venice areas did not turn up the 24-year-old woman.
Richardson was arrested Sept. 16 after dining at Geoffrey’s Restaurant in Malibu and allegedly not paying her bill and for possession of marijuana in her car. While many have criticized the restaurant manager for having Richardson arrested due to nonpayment of the bill (Richardson’s grandmother offered to pay the bill by phone, but the payment could not be accepted because she could not fax a signed receipt), owner Jeff Peterson said the Sheriff’s station was called because it was thought she could not safely drive her car.
However, Sheriff’s officials said she seemed fine and was not under the influence of alcohol, and released her at 1 a.m. She has been missing since that morning.
The family has been extremely critical of Sheriff’s officials for a number of things, including holding back the report on Richardson’s arrest and for releasing the young woman in the middle of the night without identification or a form of transportation in an area with no public transportation. They also said the station officials failed to properly diagnose and evaluate her mental state before releasing her.