What case was this & was it ever solved? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

lilmissd · 03-07-2008, 10:40 AM

I recall a case from the mid 90's about a teenage girl who stayed home from school because she wasn't feeling well and her house was broken into and she was assulted and tied up in her bedroom. When she was found she was in shock and suffered severe trauma for what happened to her. And in the weeks and months following her assult she started having unexplainable seizures. Does anyone know anything further about this case?

kamy · 03-07-2008, 11:20 AM

To my knowledge, it hasn't been solved. There are even some that question whether it happened. There is some guy on here that is obsessed with the girl, Sarah Powell I think, maybe he knows something?

justins5256 · 03-07-2008, 12:40 PM

Yes, that was the Sarah Powell case. I tend to believe her story. I could understand it being a coverup initially, but then she continued to have those seizures and panic atacks. That seems like a lot of trouble to go through just to cover up some teenage mischief as her detractors seemed to suggest.

crystaldawn · 03-07-2008, 12:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by justins5256

Yes, that was the Sarah Powell case. I tend to believe her story. I could undertand it being a coverup initially, but then she continued to have those seizures and panic atacks. That seems like a lot of trouble to go through just to cover up some teenage mischief as her detractors seemed to suggest.

Yes I agree, I can't see her going to this elaborate ruse just to keep her parents from finding out people were over. Not to mention it would be easy enough to find out just asking around if people were at her house that day. If she had people over it would have been during the day and those people would have been absent from school that day as well. Its too easy to check out. Sounds like a bizarre home invasion to me.

SP4CE INV4DERZ · 03-07-2008, 01:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crystaldawn

Sounds like a bizarre home invasion to me.

Except apart from tables and chairs etc getting turned over and what-not there wasn't much evidence of it. I don't know what to believe

crystaldawn · 03-07-2008, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Space Invaderz

Except apart from tables and chairs etc getting turned over and what-not there wasn't much evidence of it. I don't know what to believe

I haven't watched this segment in a while, was anything missing from the home? Perhaps they were looking for something (like in the Stanley Gryziec segment).

justins5256 · 03-07-2008, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crystaldawn

I haven't watched this segment in a while, was anything missing from the home? Perhaps they were looking for something (like in the Stanley Gryziec segment).

I don't believe anything was missing, and I don't think there were signs of forced entry or footprints (it was raining heavily that day). I believe those were the major flaws in her story.

Kamy's comment got me thinking. I vaguely remember that poster too. Didn't he live in the area and try to go meet Sarah or figure out where she worked or something?

crystaldawn · 03-07-2008, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by justins5256

Kamy's comment got me thinking. I vaguely remember that poster too. Didn't he live in the area and try to go meet Sarah or figure out where she worked or something?

Found the thread:

http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/...t=Sarah+Powell

I kinda feel bad no one ever responded to him.

justins5256 · 03-07-2008, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crystaldawn

Found the thread:

http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/...t=Sarah+Powell

I kinda feel bad no one ever responded to him.

He posted virtually the same thing here.

http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/...09#post2023509

How strange...

kamy · 03-07-2008, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crystaldawn

Found the thread:

http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/...t=Sarah+Powell

I kinda feel bad no one ever responded to him.

I feel bad too, but that's pretty creepy stuff

Todd Mueller · 03-07-2008, 05:08 PM

This was another one of those cases where you want to believe the person but the evidence just doesn't add up. I too haven't seen it for a while, but I do remember there being some huge holes in the story. I also remember her having a seizure and then crying "I didn't let them in... I didn't let them in" which led some to believe she knew more than she was saying (like possibly the identities of the attackers).

I liken this to Cindy James: if it is fake, shame on that person... BUT if it is real, it's horrible that the story goes unbelieved by many. Unfortunately without enough evidence either way, it's impossible to know which way is the truth.

Titan826 · 03-07-2008, 07:06 PM

I agree with Justin and CD that having all those seizures would be a lot of trouble to cover up something like that. I would fully believe her, but the fact that nothing was missing from the house makes the idea of a home invasion really hard to buy. Who knows

justins5256 · 03-07-2008, 08:40 PM

The only thing I can figure is that maybe this was an interrupted/attempted burglary and the thieves were just as surprised to see her as she was to see them. Perhaps they had planned on breaking in when no one was home and totally cleaning the place out, or maybe they were after something specific that they knew or were told would be in the house, but weren't entirely sure where (go figure, perhaps a hoard of cash, jewelry, a weapon, or maybe even drugs). But, their plan backfired when they discovered Sarah was home so they weren't able to get the items they were after, or perhaps there weren't valuables in reach or easily accessible, so they panicked, tied her up and took off. I think the fact that she described her assailants as younger people fits this too. These were obviously not professional burglars. Professionals would more than likely have done a better job casing the house and not proceeded with their plans if they discovered someone was at home.

Another possible scenario - was it mentioned in the segment if Sarah had other siblings? Maybe someone had a beef with another member of the house, or with Sarah herself, and this was some kind of bizarre retribution. If this is true, and Sarah knew the offenders or at least knew why they were there, maybe that was why she withheld information and wasn't exactly forthcoming with the police or her parents from the get go. This could be drug or gang related and that is why she didn't fess up.

There isn't much doubt in my mind that the incident happened. The "why" is the intriguing question.

mozartpc27 · 03-07-2008, 10:05 PM

I just re-read the long debate I had with Awsi Dooger awhile back about this case in the thread "Least believable cases in UM." After looking back over it all, I think I may have changed my mind: I think somehing did happen that day, very similar to what she said happened. I was being a little pig-headed back then, I think; Awsi Dooger had the better of that debate.

Now, I agree with justin5256: I'm deeply troubled about why this happened. It really doesn't make sense.

Todd Mueller · 03-08-2008, 01:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mozartpc27

I think I may have changed my mind: I think somehing did happen that day, very similar to what she said happened. I was being a little pig-headed back then, I think; Awsi Dooger had the better of that debate.

Now, I agree with justin5256: I'm deeply troubled about why this happened. It really doesn't make sense.

That's big of you to admit that, mozart. And I mean that... We all get emotional over our opinions sometimes and it can be hard when we have our minds "made up." Kudos for being so honest!

Because of the seizures and the weirdness, I honestly wonder if she knew the people that did it (like maybe someone who knew the family was after something specific and figured the family wouldn't be home) or maybe they tried to do something weird to her (sexual or otherwise) that caused her extreme trauma.

I agree that SOMETHING happened since she has obvious physical effects from it. But what that something was and why is the real kicker.

Again, it's sad that a young lady has had to endure that trauma no matter what the cause.

03-07-2008, 10:40 AM	#1
lilmissd Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Oct 28, 2007 Location: AZ Posts: 172	What case was this & was it ever solved? I recall a case from the mid 90's about a teenage girl who stayed home from school because she wasn't feeling well and her house was broken into and she was assulted and tied up in her bedroom. When she was found she was in shock and suffered severe trauma for what happened to her. And in the weeks and months following her assult she started having unexplainable seizures. Does anyone know anything further about this case?

03-07-2008, 12:40 PM	#3
justins5256 Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 08, 2002 Posts: 3,866	Yes, that was the Sarah Powell case. I tend to believe her story. I could understand it being a coverup initially, but then she continued to have those seizures and panic atacks. That seems like a lot of trouble to go through just to cover up some teenage mischief as her detractors seemed to suggest.
	Last edited by justins5256; 03-07-2008 at 01:41 PM.

03-07-2008, 10:05 PM	#14
mozartpc27 Vigilante Logician Forum Regular Join Date: Mar 09, 2006 Location: Philadelphia Posts: 926	I just re-read the long debate I had with Awsi Dooger awhile back about this case in the thread "Least believable cases in UM." After looking back over it all, I think I may have changed my mind: I think somehing did happen that day, very similar to what she said happened. I was being a little pig-headed back then, I think; Awsi Dooger had the better of that debate. Now, I agree with justin5256: I'm deeply troubled about why this happened. It really doesn't make sense.
	__________________ "You can't say the words that the rock makes you feel like." - Patty Johnson

03-07-2008, 11:20 AM	#2
kamy UM Fanatic Forum Regular Join Date: Apr 25, 2007 Location: Texas Posts: 625	To my knowledge, it hasn't been solved. There are even some that question whether it happened. There is some guy on here that is obsessed with the girl, Sarah Powell I think, maybe he knows something?

03-07-2008, 05:08 PM	#11
Todd Mueller Member Senior Member Join Date: Feb 11, 2005 Posts: 1,626	This was another one of those cases where you want to believe the person but the evidence just doesn't add up. I too haven't seen it for a while, but I do remember there being some huge holes in the story. I also remember her having a seizure and then crying "I didn't let them in... I didn't let them in" which led some to believe she knew more than she was saying (like possibly the identities of the attackers). I liken this to Cindy James: if it is fake, shame on that person... BUT if it is real, it's horrible that the story goes unbelieved by many. Unfortunately without enough evidence either way, it's impossible to know which way is the truth.

03-07-2008, 07:06 PM	#12
Titan826 Member Occasional Poster Join Date: May 25, 2007 Posts: 76	I agree with Justin and CD that having all those seizures would be a lot of trouble to cover up something like that. I would fully believe her, but the fact that nothing was missing from the house makes the idea of a home invasion really hard to buy. Who knows

03-07-2008, 08:40 PM	#13
justins5256 Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 08, 2002 Posts: 3,866	The only thing I can figure is that maybe this was an interrupted/attempted burglary and the thieves were just as surprised to see her as she was to see them. Perhaps they had planned on breaking in when no one was home and totally cleaning the place out, or maybe they were after something specific that they knew or were told would be in the house, but weren't entirely sure where (go figure, perhaps a hoard of cash, jewelry, a weapon, or maybe even drugs). But, their plan backfired when they discovered Sarah was home so they weren't able to get the items they were after, or perhaps there weren't valuables in reach or easily accessible, so they panicked, tied her up and took off. I think the fact that she described her assailants as younger people fits this too. These were obviously not professional burglars. Professionals would more than likely have done a better job casing the house and not proceeded with their plans if they discovered someone was at home. Another possible scenario - was it mentioned in the segment if Sarah had other siblings? Maybe someone had a beef with another member of the house, or with Sarah herself, and this was some kind of bizarre retribution. If this is true, and Sarah knew the offenders or at least knew why they were there, maybe that was why she withheld information and wasn't exactly forthcoming with the police or her parents from the get go. This could be drug or gang related and that is why she didn't fess up. There isn't much doubt in my mind that the incident happened. The "why" is the intriguing question.