'Just want to disappear': Kiely Rodni was wearing sweatshirt with EERIE MESSAGE when she went missing
TRUCKEE, CALIFORNIA: In the early hours of August 6, Saturday, 16-year-old Kiely Rodni mysteriously disappeared while on her way back home from a party in the woods. On Tuesday, August 9, authorities made public a picture of Kiely as seen on security tape taken only hours before she disappeared. An eerie statement about her "disappearing" was inscribed on Rodni's sweatshirt at the time of her disappearance, police say.
As temperatures dropped down in the forest later in the evening, investigators believe she might have worn someone else's sweater. The inscription on the sweater read: "You don't want to be forgotten. You just want to disappear." This particular line is from a poem written by Lana Del Rey called "Past the Bushes Cypress Thriving."
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Kiely was last seen in the open woods area next to the Prosser Family Campground. The 16-year-old had just left a party before she disappeared, and police suspect she might have been carrying the hoodie with her at the time. Sami Smith, Kiely's closest friend, shared a video from the event on Wednesday, August 10. In the area, which was covered with what seemed to be empty bottles, the footage depicts several teenagers congregating. A mobile phone light is seen beaming on a young group of individuals as they are seen partying together.
In an attempt to encourage teenagers to step forth with some useful information on Kiely's disappearance, the neighborhood has begun organizing teen-to-teen conversations excluding grownups, including police officials. "I think a lot of them were scared to talk, they were engaging in illegal activity in the woods, it's like this Lord of the Flies space where they can just be," said Kiely's friend Sami to the Sun. "We've said over and over again, we're not investigating any of you, we're partnering with you in an investigation for a missing person, this isn't about things you shouldn't have done. But it's also hard because there are so many teenagers, what are their relationships like with their parents?"
She added, "That can define a lot of what they're going to say. Are they used to hiding everything? They're afraid of the consequences or how they're going to be viewed, how their parents are going to react. But at this point, it's like, who cares? We need to find her." The attenders apparently smoked pot, drank booze, and occasionally got into fights throughout the party.
In a press statement on Wednesday afternoon, August 10, Lt Josh Barnhart from Placer County Sheriff's Office stated: “We do not have any new leads and that is very frustrating to us." More than 300 leads have been given to police authorities, but none of them have provided useful information as to what could have possibly happened to Kiely.
Police have been visiting homes, analyzing CCTV from supermarkets, petrol stations, and other establishments, as well as Ring video recordings from families' houses. The FBI has sent in about 50 people to aid with the hunt. According to authorities, no one has yet reported seeing her depart the party. Lt Barnhart stated that he believes that somebody is hiding information and should come clean. According to authorities, Kiely's cellphone has been unavailable since Saturday morning around 12:30 am.
Kiely's laptop, which is thought to have been kept in her car, remains missing. She also had an iPad, that is currently at her house. No proof that Kiely traveled anywhere close to her house has been uncovered by the police despite their use of motorbikes, helicopters, and ground searches.
Since Kiely's disappearance has not yet met all the requirements, an Amber Alert hasn't been released, according to the police. The most recent information was released a day after cops made public a picture of Kiely that was seen on security tape at a nearby shop. Before heading to the party with pals on August 5 at 6:08 pm, Kiely was seen dressed in a green Dickies trouser with a black grommet belt, a black spaghetti-strap bodysuit, and a pair of back Vans.
Despite knowing Kiely would be having a party in the forest, Kiely's mother, Lindsey Rodni-Nieman, claimed that she wasn't worried. "There have been parties there every weekend for years. It feels like a safe spot. It’s a campground, [with] paved roads, they can sleep overnight if they want to," said Lindsey. “This community feels very safe … this kind of thing does not happen here. It feels surreal."
These declarations come after Lindsey released a video statement on Facebook asking people to help find her kid. "We just want her home. We're so scared, and we miss her so much, and we love her so much. And Kiely, we love you, and if you see this, please just come home," said the worried mother.
"I want nothing more than to hug you. And if anybody else out there if you know where she is, if you know anything about where she might be, if you have any ideas or thoughts, please come forward and share them."
The search for the missing teen intensified on Tuesday, August 9, when swimmers were seen in front of a 90-foot dam at Prosser Creek Reservoir, approximately an hour away from Lake Tahoe. At the neighborhood rec center, where her family is camped out, people gathered to offer their support and assistance. "We're gonna find her, we are gonna find her, we're not to be f***ed with here," said one of Kiely's relatives.
At the 760-acre dam, members of the Hasty Team, a diving-focused division of the Washoe County Sheriff's Office, offered their aid with the search. On Tuesday at 9:50 am, the team arrived from Reno and reached the reservoir. The Placer County Sheriff's Office is keeping open the possibility that Kiely was kidnapped as her car has disappeared as well.
Her 2013 Honda CRV, which bears the California number plate 8YUR127, is being sought by authorities. Kiely is characterized as having blonde hair, hazel eyes, and a height and weight of 5 feet, 7 inches, and 115 pounds, respectively. The 16-year-old also wears a nose ring and has other piercings, which could be vital for identification.