News brief: No evidence found of missing mom in Cowlitz River

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Detectives continue actively investigating the disappearance of a Centralia mother of three who spent time on Saturday at and around freeway exits near Vader wearing pajama bottoms and no shoes, after leaving her car on Interstate 5.

The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office has said Elizabeth A. Pham, 33, may be suffering from from postpartum depression.

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Elizabeth A. Pham

Yesterday after lunchtime, Chief Deputy Stacy Brown indicated that while Pham came into contact with several individuals at a gas station, a truck stop and a restaurant, the last sighting of her appears to have been around noon on Saturday sitting beneath the overpass at exit 59 staring into the Cowlitz River.

Members of the sheriff’s office Swift Water Team spent five and half hours yesterday scouring the river. They searched to an area approximately two miles downstream from the Mandy Road overpass, according to Brown.

Team members stated the visibility, in the areas searched, was good as the river is fairly shallow and slow moving, Brown indicated.

They stopped at the point they did, because the river was too shallow in many places to continue downstream, according to Brown.

They didn’t find any evidence she actually went into the river.

Her makeup bag was turned into police on Sunday, having been discovered by a fisherman near the fork in the Cowlitz and Toutle Rivers. That’s close to a bridge that crosses the river at milepost 52 on the freeway.

Pham had tried to get a ride with a truck driver who was heading to California, but also asked a taxi driver to take her to Olympia, before she was spotted gazing into the Cowlitz on Saturday.

She resides in Centralia with her three children and her husband, a local dentist with whom she works, according to Brown. She was reported missing on Sunday morning.

Chief Deputy Bruce Kimsey stated yesterday their hope is someone will see Pham and call them.

The sheriff’s office number is 360-748-9286.

If tipsters wish to remain anonymous, they can call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-748-6422. Private messages can also be sent through their Facebook page “Lewis County Sheriff’s Office”.
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For background, read “Missing mother’s makeup bag fished out of Cowlitz River” from Tuesday October 13, 2015, here

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6 Responses to “News brief: No evidence found of missing mom in Cowlitz River”

  1. Beverly Jean says:

    Anglo Saxon Pride …Get over yourself , try to do something, anything in your life worthwhile .

    You do not know the circumstances , get off your ‘ wonder how ‘ brain try offering help for this young woman , her family and her friends .
    .
    You know something worthwhile that would help the authorities find Elizabeth A. Pham ? IF so why don’t you call the Sheriffs office 360-748-9286….or call 911

  2. CrazyOldMan says:

    @butch: perhaps AGSXN and I both have centurytel DSL. I assure you that I am not him. Also don’t know how you would get our up addrs anyway. I don’t know how you plan to decrease the quality of my wonderful life but please don’t threaten.

  3. Butch says:

    Grumpy old man. How come you have the same IP address as anglo-saxon …. listen closely, this is a missing lady that helps people get dental care for their kids when they can’t afford it. You are the only one to have brought up the subject of pills, school shootings, and other stupid things that have nothing to do with her.
    Regardless of any retraction you may print, I am going to decrease your quality of life!

  4. Erin says:

    Anglo Saxon Pride you do not know anything about what she is going through and what her circumstances are, please refrain from being an ass and making stupid comments about my stepsister.

  5. Catrina says:

    What a hateful thing to say…I’ve never been handed a pain pill like percocet at a dentist office…I have been prescribed them but I had to go to a pharmacy to fill the rx. This man mist be in horrible pain not knowing if his wife is alive or dead. But then assholes like you out to question his character and integrity.

  6. Anglo Saxon Pride says:

    I wonder how many Percocet pills the Dentist was diverting her way? Typo Sharyon Taxi driver. We all make typos..