33 replies to this topic

[Jenn]

Print a poster: http://www.projectja...riaLowitzer.pdf

http://abclocal.go.c...ocal&id=7419146

Search to begin for teen missing since last week

Updated at 07:36 AM today



HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Later today, volunteers will begin searching for a teen missing since last week.

Alexandria Lowitzer, 16, was last seen last Monday returning home after school.

Anybody wanting to help out with the search is asked to report to the Northwood Baptist Church in Spring. Teams will go out from 9am until 4:30pm. Volunteers must be 18 or older and have picture ID.

Remember to wear long pants and sturdy shoes.

Please call the Harris County Constable Precinct 4 at 281-376-3472 if you have any information about ALEXANDRIA JOY LOWITZER- Case number: 57351

[Jenn]

http://www.thewestsi...ie_Thomas/20044

No Clues in Missing Teenager Case, Search Continues

by Stephanie Thomas Published 05/09/2010 - 9:42 p.m. CST

SPRING - Alexandria Lowitzer seems to have vanished without a trace.

No phone calls, no text messages, no good-bye letter to indicate she was upset and wanted to get away from things. No obvious reason, anyway, for her to be upset.

The last time anyone saw the 16-year-old teen from Spring, she was getting off the school bus April 26, only a few feet from her home on Low Ridge Road.

Since Saturday, May 1, the Laura Recovery Center for Missing Children, a non-profit organization based in Friendswood, has organized a massive onsite search effort that has so far drawn approximately 200 volunteers to comb the extensive wooded area behind the Lowitzer residence.

“We had a horse team out in the woods through the Greater Houston Search Dog Team, and they also brought a dog to do some tracking and trailing,” said Bob Walcutt, executive director of the Laura Recovery Center, which was contacted by Ali’s family. “So far we have nothing to hang our hat on. We had some tips, different leads, but nothing concrete.”

The Houston Police Mounted Patrol covered a large portion of the wooded expanse, assisting Precinct 4 Constable’s deputies and Harris County Sheriff’s officials in the recovery effort, Walcutt said, and two men volunteered to search the area on ATVs.

“We’re literally covering areas where someone could take a person, commit a crime and [leave] them - large wooded areas, ponds, creeks,” he said. “Around here, there are a lot of places like that and so far we have found nothing. We’re still no further along than we were on the first day.”

RUNAWAY - OR NOT?

Walcutt said his organization generally doesn’t get involved in runaway cases, which was still the current status assigned to Ali’s disappearance by law enforcement as of Friday.

“If we knew for sure this was a runaway, we would not be physically here right now,” he explained. “But Alexandria apparently lives on her phone, uses her text messaging all the time. When she left, everything stopped once she got off that bus. Everything. There has been no activity on that phone since then, which leads to the possibility that something may have happened to her at that point.”

Shaye Vaught is a friend of the Lowitzer family. Her own daughter and Ali are good friends, and over the years Ali had become a part of Vaught’s family as well.

“I love Ali to death; she’s like a third daughter to me,” she said. “She used to be in my Girl Scout troop, and it was nothing to have Ali come in the door behind my daughters after school and stay for dinner.”

Vaught, who volunteered at the Laura Recovery camp all week long, described Ali as a good kid, very sweet - a kid who would never run away to leave everything, and everyone, she loves behind. Those who know the teen say for her to miss her softball team’s season tournament and her best friend’s 16th birthday party is out of character.

“She’s a teenage girl, sure, but she’s not in any way a troublemaker,” she explained. “She was very excited about her job at Burger Barn. I think she really liked the work. She constantly called them to pick up extra shifts.”

In fact, officials believe Ali was on her way to pick up her paycheck from work, only half a mile from her home, after she got off the school bus.

Vaught said law enforcement could dedicate more resources to the search for Ali if her status were updated to “endangered.”

“It’s disheartening that she’s still listed as a runaway,” she said. “It would step things up a notch.”

Walcutt said law enforcement continues to conduct its investigation and at this time there is no hard evidence that foul play is involved. At the same time, he said, the complete lack of activity on Ali’s cell phone was enough to convince the Laura Recovery Center to get involved.

“My best hope is that she is a runaway,” he said. “In that case, she can come home and be safe and well. If she’s not a runaway, then all bets are off. In 99 out of 100 cases, everything turns out fine, but it’s that one percent that’s worrisome. Bad things do happen.”

[Jenn]

http://www.myfoxhous...ssing-teen-girl

Search Resumes for Missing Teen Girl

Updated: Wednesday, 05 May 2010, 11:23 AM CDT
Published : Wednesday, 05 May 2010, 8:31 AM CDT

SPRING, Texas - Volunteers with the Laura Recovery Center led the search efforts on Wednesday morning for a 16-year-old girl who has not been seen since she walked off a school bus on April 26.

Alexandria Lowitzer, known by friends and family as Allie, used text messages to frequently communicate with them, but no one has had any contact with her since she was last seen.

Lowitzer is an active Girl Scout whose mother served as a troop leader and also played as a catcher on her softball team. The team is currently playing an important tournament without her.

Lowitzer's parents said she had told them that after walking off the bus, she was going to pick up her paycheck from Burger Barn on Treaschwig Road, but she never picked up the check and her cell phone has been offline since.

The Laura Recovery Center welcomes more volunteers to help in the search for Lowitzer. Volunteers must be 18 years old and older and have a picture identification with them.

The search team will met at the North Woods Baptist Church on 5803 Treaschwig Road in Spring. The last search crew shift will be deployed no later than 4:30 p.m. Wednesday.

[Jenn]

http://www.hcnonline.../18lowitzer.txt

Spring family searches for missing teen

By From Community Reports Updated: 05.04.10

Family and friends of Alexandria Lowitzer are stepping up their efforts to find the 16-year-old girl with the help of the Laura Recovery Center for Missing Children, handing out fliers and launching an intensified search until 4 p.m. Monday afternoon, May 3.

Alexandria has been missing from Low Ridge Road for one week after she did not return home from school last Monday. She is currently listed as a runaway with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.

The missing girl is a white female, measures 5-foot-2 in height and weighs 145 pounds. Alexandria has hazel eyes and auburn hair, and is of fair complexion. She wears braces on both her upper and lower teeth.

Alexandria has a faint chicken pox scar between her eyes.

She was last seen wearing a white spaghetti-strap top, a dark hoodie, black and white checkered skinny jeans, and black tennis shoes. She was carrying a blue slide cell phone and brown backpack.

Anyone with information regarding Alexandria’s whereabouts is asked to contact the Harris County Constable’s Office Precinct 4 at 281-376-3472, and refer to case number 57351. Information can also be called in to the Laura Recovery Center at 281-482-LRCF(5723), or toll free at 866-898-5723.

To download and print a flier, go to http://www.LRCF.org.

Volunteers are welcome to participate in today’s search effort by checking in at Northwoods Baptist Church, located near the corner of Treashwig and Cypresswood, at 5808 Treashwig in Spring.

[Jenn]

http://www.chron.com...an/6989928.html

Dogs, volunteers help search for missing teen

By RENÉE C. LEE HOUSTON CHRONICLE May 4, 2010, 6:29PM



Sixteen-year-old Alexandria Lowitzer had big plans on her social calendar. Last weekend, she was going to a friend's Alice-in-Wonderland-themed birthday party, which she helped organize. And this week, the Spring High School student was to play in a softball tournament as her team's catcher.

That's why her parents, John and JoAnn Lowitzer, are so worried and puzzled about her April 26 disappearance.

Alexandria got off the school bus at Knotty Post and Low Ridge Road, three houses from her home, about 3 p.m., and hasn't been seen or heard from since, her mother said Tuesday as volunteers searched for the teenager.

Harris County Sheriff's officials are investigating the case as a runaway. But the Lowitzers don't believe their daughter ran away. Neither does the Laura Recovery Center for Missing Children, which began its own investigation of her whereabouts on April 28 and continues to search for her.
Mom last to talk with her

The activities Alexandria was involved in “throw up some red flags,” said Dawn Davis, a recovery center case manager. “Whether she left voluntarily or not, there's a reason she's not back and that's a real concern.”

About 40 volunteers searched areas near the family's home on Tuesday. A team from the Greater Houston Search Dogs also has joined the ground search.

Alexandria, called “Ali” by family and friends, has not made any calls or text messages from her cell phone and she has not made any new entries on her Facebook or MySpace pages, said JoAnn Lowitzer. Her friends also said they have not had any communication with her, she said. Davis believes her cell phone battery might be dead.

“I was the last person to talk to her,” said her mother, who waited at the search command center at the Northwood Baptist Church in Spring. “She called me before getting on the bus. She said she might walk to work.”
Didn't show up at job

Alexandria works at a nearby burger joint as a cook, her mother said. The teenager also is active in school, where she is a member of the choir. She plays the flute and loves to draw. Her art teacher made arrangements for her to take an art class this summer, she said.

Alexandria is 5-foot-2 and weighs about 145 pounds. She wears braces with pink banding and was last seen wearing black-and-white checkered pants, a dark hoodie and a checkered backpack.

JoAnn Lowitzer said she sends a text to her daughter's cell phone every night just in case her cell phone comes on.

“I love her,” she said, crying. “I want her to come home.”

HOW YOU CAN HELP

Anyone with information about the whereabouts of Alexandria Lowitzer, or anyone who would like to volunteer with the search for her should contact the Laura Recovery Center at 866-898-5723.

[Jenn]

http://www.chron.com...an/6999075.html

Search for missing Spring girl 'in a holding pattern'

By RENÉE C. LEE HOUSTON CHRONICLE May 10, 2010, 8:52PM

The ground search for a 16-year-old Spring girl who went missing two weeks ago has been suspended until more clues about her disappearance surface, said search organizers Monday.

“We just don't have a lot to go on right now,” said Bob Walcutt, executive director of the Laura Recovery Center for Missing Children. “We're in a holding pattern right now.”

Alexandria Lowitzer, a Spring High School student, has not been seen since April 26, when she got off the school bus near hear her home about 3 p.m., said her parents, John and JoAnn Lowitzer. She has a cell phone but has not called relatives or friends.

The Laura Recovery Center initiated a search last week, with volunteers combing areas near the Lowitzer home. The search was suspended Sunday evening. S heriff's officials said they have no new leads in the case, which is being investigated as a runaway case.

John Lowitzer's employer, Exel, held a fundraiser on Saturday . About $2,000 was raised, and the company gave a match of $3,000 . A Facebook page also has been set up to generate leads. John Lowitzer said the family is trying to remain hopeful.

[Jenn]

http://www.39online....0,1214598.story

Missing Spring Teen, Parents Fear the Worst
Alexandria Lowitzer has been Missing since April

Mayra Moreno KIAH May 10, 2010

She vanished two weeks ago and investigators aren't sure if Alexandria Lowitzer ran away or if someone snatched her but her parents are fearing the worst.

Sign up for the 39News Newsletter

The nights and days have come and gone for John and Joan Lowitzer. They last saw their sixteen year old daughter Alexandria last month.

The teen went missing on Monday, April the twenty six. She spoke to her mother just before getting off the school bus.

"She had a good day," said Joan Lowitzer. "Life was good that day."

Ali, as her family and friends called her, never made it home for dinner.

"This is a photo of Ali as she is getting off her school bus," said John Lowitzer, holding onto a picture taken from surveillance video on Ali's school bus.

Alexandria would of been walking down Treaschwig. She was headed to her job just a few blocks down the street but co-workers told authorities they never saw walk inside.

"She didn't take any of her makeup, she didn't take her cell phone charger, no clothes nothing that would be important to a sixteen year old girl," said John Lowitzer.

Missing flyers are taped throughout Spring businesses along Treaschwig and Cypress. Volunteers with the Laura Recovery Center have even organized search parties but the teen's whereabouts are still unknown.

Investigators are waiting to hear from eye witnesses who might have clues to suggest foul play. In the meantime, both parents remain optimistic.

"I can't fear the worst," said Joan Lowitzer with tears in her eyes. "I have to keep hope that she's (going to) come home."

They're hoping to see Ali walk through the door.

If you have any information that might help investigators find Alexandria Lowitzer call Crime Stoppers at 713-222-tips.

[Jenn]

http://www.chron.com...an/7011578.html

Spring parents still waiting for their missing teen to call

By RENÉE C. LEE HOUSTON CHRONICLE May 18, 2010, 10:31PM


John and JoAnn Lowitzer are surrounded by “missing” posters and photos of their 16-year-old daughter, Alexandria, known as Ali.


Sometimes while driving, John Lowitzer becomes so consumed with thoughts about his missing daughter that he mutters to himself, “Where are you?”

Then, before his emotions overwhelm him, he hears a little voice that says, “Daddy, I'm OK.”

“Those are the hard things,” said Lowitzer as he tried to hold back his tears. His wife, JoAnn Lowitzer, sitting next to him in their Spring home this week, reached for his hand.

Three weeks have passed since their 16-year-old daughter, Alexandria, went missing. She was last seen April 26, getting off a school bus at Knotting Post and Low Ridge Road about 3 p.m.

Alexandria, also known as Ali, hasn't made a call or sent a text from her cell phone, and no one has reported seeing anything suspicious that day, her parents said.

An exhaustive search over the weekend turned up no clues.

Ali's disappearance has left the Lowitzers feeling numb. Frustration has also settled in because law enforcement is not treating Ali as a missing person case.

The parents struggle each day to drown out fears of what might have happened to her and try to concentrate on what's most important — finding Ali unharmed.

“Yesterday, I was feeling a little down,” John said. “Every day that goes by is one day closer to finding her, but it's also one more day we're farther behind.”

The outpouring of community support and assistance from the Laura Recovery Center for Missing Children, which has organized ground searches, has helped them get through the long days. Hundreds of people have volunteered for searches and to pass out fliers. More than 3,000 people have befriended a Facebook page dedicated to locating Ali.

“If not for the Laura Recovery Center and the volunteers, I'd be lost,” John said. “They've been like a cornerstone.”

‘She's going to call'

Harris County sheriff's officials are investigating Ali's disappearance as a runaway case, but the Lowitzers do not believe she ran away. It wasn't her nature, they said.

“We know our daughter,” John said. “She's going to call someone.”

The Spring High School student did not take anything from her room. All she has with her is her multicolored checked backpack and the clothes she wore to school, he said.

The budding artist also had a lot of activities going on in her life. She had a softball tournament the week she went missing and a friend's birthday party, which she helped plan, that she was going to attend that weekend, her mother said.

But sheriff's officials said that without any evidence of foul play, there is no reason to believe that Ali did not leave on her own free will. The department does not have criteria to determine if a case is a runaway or missing person, said Harris County sheriff's spokeswoman Christina Garza.

“Each case is different and unique, especially when dealing with children,” Garza said. “It's even more challenging.”

John said he understands that police have to follow protocol, but if she was a missing person, her case would receive more attention.

“It's just a little frustrating,” said John, who wore a green and black ribbon pinned to his shirt. Green was Ali's favorite color.
Taking the bus home

On the morning of April 26, Ali appeared to be her normal self, JoAnn said. She was a little grouchy when she got up at her usual time about 6 a.m. She then rushed to dress, put on her black eyeliner, ate breakfast and got to the bus stop by 6:15 a.m.

JoAnn said she called Ali at school around 2:30 p.m. to check on her plans after school. Ali said she would catch the bus home and walk to her job at a burger joint near her home to get her paycheck.

JoAnn said she grew concerned when she had not heard from Ali later that evening. She sent her a couple of text messages but never received a reply.

“As it got closer to 9 p.m., the more curious I got about why she had not answered me,” she said.

She drove to the burger restaurant about 9:10 p.m., only to find it closed and empty. She called John, shouting hysterically, “She's gone! She's gone!”

“I didn't know what to think,” John said. “We both felt she would come home. We didn't know what to do.”

JoAnn called police about 11 p.m., and was told to wait a little while longer, she would come home.

“They never told me what to do if she didn't come home,” she said.

First week ‘was horrific'

By morning, they said they were in a panic and realized something was terribly wrong. Cell phone records show that Ali received her last call from her mother and sent her last text at 2:57 p.m., to a male friend, her mother said. The boy, who was later contacted by John, said he didn't know anything about her whereabouts, she said.

The first week of her disappearance was nearly unbearable, the Lowitzers said.

“It was horrific for me,” John said. “I had a huge knot in my stomach. I couldn't eat or sleep. As a parent all the fears go through your mind. All the what-ifs would tear me up.”

The Lowitzers have had to do a lot of detective work and publicity on their own. John hastily made a handwritten flier the day after she disappeared and later secured video camera footage from her school. They both also knocked on doors and posted information on social websites.

The Lowitzers are working on establishing a trust fund in Ali's name and a reward for information.

The parents are also each sending Ali a text message every night.

[Jenn]

http://www.momlogic....r_missing_t.php



Search Continues for Missing Teen

posted Tuesday, May 25, 2010 ABC 13

ABC: It's been 17 days since anyone's seen or heard from 16-year-old Alexandria, or Ali, Lowitzer.

She was last seen on April 26 getting off the bus at Knotty Post Lane and Low Ridge Drive in Spring. That's about 30 feet from her home.

She has just disappeared, and what worries her parents more is that a few months ago, in their neighborhood, another girl who is the same age was almost kidnapped.

"It's been very exhausting in the past two and a half weeks," her father said.

Lowitzer is a gifted artist. Her art adorns the family's dining room, but what her parents are now hoping for is a better portrait into her disappearance.

School bus security camera photos show Lowitzer exiting the bus on April 26.

Her home is a two-minute walk away, but she never made it home, and just about all of her belongings remain in her bedroom.

"She left her cell phone charger, where it's always put in; she had cash in her purse on the floor, and she loves to wear makeup, but none of her makeup is gone," her mother said.

And what worries her parents even more is that just a few months ago, a girl around Lowitzer's age was almost abducted.

"A car pulled up next to her and a guy got out and he tried to grab her around the neck and she bit him," Lowitzer's dad said, "so he backed off and tried to get her around the waist and she was able to get away."

And as the family prepares to head into another weekend without Lowitzer, her family is stockpiling supplies for another search.

Food and fliers fill their dining room, along with their best of hopes.

"We try to stay positive," her mother said.

Lowitzer is 5 feet 2 inches tall, 145 pounds, has hazel eyes and auburn hair. She has braces on both her upper and lower teeth.

At 9am Saturday, the Laura Recovery Center will stage another search for Lowitzer at the Northwood Baptist Church.

[Lori Davis]

http://www.kvue.com/...s-95256784.html
Kingwood parent takes action after 7 teenage girls disappear in 2 months

by Gabe Gutierrez / 11 News
kvue.com
Posted on May 31, 2010 at 10:11 AM

KINGWOOD, Texas – The disappearances of seven teenage girls in less than two months have prompted a concerned parent to question the system that labels them "runaways."

Ira Kettles-Lemiska started a Facebook page to increase awareness about the girls, who all went missing near her Kingwood home.

Only one, Ali Lowitzer, has drawn much media attention. Lowitzer was last seen on April 26 getting off her school bus just feet from her home near Knotty Post Drive and Low Ridge Road in Spring.

Lowitzer, along with the other girls, have been labeled "runaways" by law enforcement officials, due to a lack of evidence of any foul play.

"The more involved I get, the more I’m hearing, ‘Oh no, they’re a teenager? Most likely, they’re a runaway.’ That’s just so not fair," said Kettles-Lemiska.

The Houston Police Department said it receives between 6,000 and 7,000 missing person reports a year. Most of them are runways.

HPD detectives said every call gets a missing person report opened, but to see if the teen is likely to be a runaway, they’ll check whether the teen took their cell phone or a change of clothes. Another question is whether that teen has a history of disappearance or criminal activity, and if he or she has used any social networking sites.

Law enforcement officials said having seven missing girls from the same area is not unusual. There are thousands of similar cases throughout the Houston area. The reality is, cases involving kidnapping or assault take priority and get more resources.

But that is small consolation to parents like Stacy Turner, whose 15-year-old daughter, Cynthia, disappeared from her grandmother’s northwest Houston home on April 12. She admits the teenager likely ran off, but that doesn’t make the ordeal any easier.

"Not knowing if she’s OK is the scariest part," she said. "They think that it was the child’s choice. But they’re just kids!"

Any parent who is worried about their missing child is urged to contact the Laura Recovery Center for Missing Children.

[Kelly]

http://www.ncmec.org...earchLang=en_US




ALEXANDRIA LOWITZER


DOB:  Feb 3, 1994
Missing:  Apr 26, 2010
Sex:  Female
Race:  White
Hair:  Brown
Eyes:  Blue
Height:  5'2" (157 cm)
Weight:  145 lbs (66 kg)
Missing From:
SPRING
TX
United States


Both photos shown are of Alexandria. Her ears and nose are pierced. Alexandria wears braces on her teeth. When she was last seen, her hair was dyed dark red. Alexandria may go by the nickname Ali, Alex or AJ.

Harris County Sheriff's Office (Texas) 1-713-221-6000

[Kelly]

Project Jason Profile:




Ali's distinctive backpack

Images taken of Ali getting off the bus:


Name: Alexandria Lowitzer

Alias: Ali Lowitzer
Date of Birth: 02/03/1994
Date Missing: 04/26/2010
Age at time of disappearance: 16
City Missing From: Spring
State Missing From: Texas
Gender: Female
Race: White
Height: 5 ft 2 in
Weight: 145 lbs
Hair Color: Brown
Hair (other):  Dyed auburn
Eye Color: Hazel: blue/grey
Complexion: Fair

Identifying Characteristics: Faint scar from chicken pox between her eyes, braces on upper and lower teeth. Wears dark makeup around her eyes.

Clothing: Ali was wearing a white t-shirt, dark hoodie, black and white checkered skinny jeans, and black tennis shoes. She had a blue slide cell phone and a checkered multicolored backpack.

Circumstances of Disappearance: She rode the bus home, and got off at her normal stop. She was going to walk to work but never made it.

Investigative Agency: Harris County Sheriff
Agency Phone: (713) 221-6000
Investigative Case #: 57351

Print a poster: http://www.projectja...riaLowitzer.pdf

[Kelly]

AAN Poster Notify Sent to AAN Subscribers  Code 96

Help us find the missing: Become an AAN Member and receive notifications about missing persons via email.

Click here to become a part of the solution: http://www.projectja...awareness.shtml

[Lori Davis]

http://www.hcnonline.../36lowitzer.txt

Benefit scheduled for missing Spring teen
Alexandria Lowitzer disappeared after getting off the bus near her home in Spring April 26.  

By STEFANIE THOMAS
Updated: 09.03.10

Their nights have been sleepless, their days filled with worry, and their efforts relentless.

John and Jo Ann Lowitzer want their daughter back.

Alexandria “Ali” Lowitzer, 16, disappeared after getting off the school bus near her home in Spring April 26. Her parents haven’s seen her since.

“We get leads all the time,” said John. “They’re just all dead ends.”

Numerous sightings of Ali have been reported in the months since her disappearance, but so far the girls have all turned out to be look-alikes.

“We never thought Ali looked like anyone else, but evidently there are a lot of girls her age who have the same haircut, wear the same style makeup and clothing,” Jo Ann said. “As unique as she tried to be on a daily basis, there are a lot of girls who look like her.”

Authorities have Ali listed as a runaway due to a lack of evidence that would suggest otherwise, but the Lowitzers adamantly maintain their daughter did not run away.

“We don’t believe that for one second,” John said. “That’s been the biggest obstacle, trying to convince people that she’s not a runaway. Ali is also somewhat classified as endangered and missing, but we can’t get it past that. If we could, we’d have Amber Alerts, a lot more resources on our hands, even the Texas Rangers.”

Since April, Ali’s parents have organized numerous private search parties with the help of the Laura Recovery Center, combed woods and neighborhoods, distributed fliers and even teamed up with a private investigator. Still, no trace of Ali.

Jo Ann and John believe someone, somewhere, has information on Ali’s whereabouts. The couple currently offers a $5,000 award to anyone who can help bring Ali home. To no avail.

On September 18, the family will hold a fundraiser, with proceeds going toward the continuation of search parties, the financing of fliers and other media, and to raise the award for tips leading to the recovery of Ali.

“Unfortunately, money talks,” John said. “Hopefully, someone who knows something might find it a little more enticing to come forward. Someone has to know where she is.”

ONE DAY AT A TIME

The Lowitzers say their efforts to find their daughter have not waned, but they worry that Ali’s name and photo is slowly fading from the public’s consciousness.

“For me this has gotten more difficult as time goes on. In the beginning, there were a lot of people around,” said John. “We felt all that support. But right now everything is very quiet. The wheels don’t turn as fast, and we feel things slowing a little.”

The first day back to school was especially heartbreaking for Ali’s parents, as they watched other kids get on school buses, decked out in new clothes and bearing down under new backpacks and school supplies. Then listening to friends and coworkers as they described their own children’s first day back in school.

“I kept thinking she was supposed to be on that bus,” John said. “You never think you’d miss the school shopping, the school supplies. Until your child’s missing. Ali loved to go to school.”

At home, the teen’s room remains undisturbed. The door stands slightly open, waiting for Ali to enter her sanctuary, the part of the house she was allowed to decorate to her own liking. The day she disappeared, her parents found their daughter’s phone charger in its place, her purse and money still in Ali’s room.

The Lowitzers describe their daughter as an artistic child who loves to paint, listen to music, and sing. She rarely socialized outside her home and liked to invite friends to visit at her house instead.

“She was goofy; just a kid,” said John. “She liked to make us laugh. She had her teenage moments, but she didn’t have a bad home life.”


TAKING INITIATIVE


The Lowitzers say to their knowledge, one Harris County Sheriff’s Office homicide detective is currently assigned to Ali’s case.

“We’re as close with the police as they allow us to be,” said John. “Sometimes they call us, but I wish they would keep in closer contact with us. And law enforcement needs to talk to each other. I don’t know if the sheriff’s office is talking to Precinct 4, HPD. I think they need to collaborate more.”

John said the recent publicized arrest of a man who attempted to abduct a child in New Caney prompted him to scour the woods near the suspect’s home on his own, accompanied by a private investigator who took on Ali’s case on a pro bono basis.

“Has that guy done it before? In what area?,” John wanted to know. “We went to the area where he lives and went into the woods to see if we can find anything about Ali. We hear about things like that and we do it ourselves, ask questions. We can’t wait for law enforcement.”

With nothing new to report in connection with Ali’s disappearance, no new leads to go on, local media coverage has dissipated, John said, making it even more difficult to keep the effort to find Ali in the public eye.

“That’s another reason for the benefit on September 18 - we’re hoping it will be large enough to rekindle the effort and let people know shes’ still missing and there’s still a huge effort out there to find her,” he said.

Meanwhile, the rumor mill is brewing. On a regular basis, the Lowitzers are confronted with public misconceptions that Ali has been found - dead or alive.

“Right before school let out we were dealing with rumors that her body has been found in a ditch,” Jo Ann said. “Now that school is back in session, the buzz is that Ali is back home. It’s frustrating.”

In August, the Lowitzers sent Alis picture out in Valpak, hoping to reach residents in different areas of Harris County. They listed their daughter with every missing persons website imaginable, and received reports that some fliers of Ali have made it as far as California and Florida.

“Until she comes home, we need that exposure,” said John. “We are going to search east coast to west coast. We’re not leaving anything to chance. You never know - she could be in another state. until we know something, I feel that’s what we have to do.”

The endless wait is excruciating. With every day that goes by, the Lowitzers renew their resolve to find their daughter.

Whether Ali is a runaway or met with a worse fate, John says the fears and worries are the same.

“My whole world would change with a simple phone call,” he said. “At least I would know she’s still alive. Not knowing if their child is ok is the worst feeling a parent can have. Ali, we love you. Very much.”


BRING HOME ALI

The Lowitzer family is organizing a benefit to raise funds for the recovery of Ali Lowitzer, 16.

WHAT:
• Poker Run $10 per person
• First Bike Out At 11 a.m. / Last Bike In At 3 p.m.
• Pulled pork sandwiches, BBQ baked beans and potato salad, $8 per plate.
• Live auction starts at 4 p.m.
• Music
• Moonwalk, and much more...

WHEN: September 18, from 11 a.m.
WHERE: Spring Tavern, 24401 Aldine Westfield Road, Spring

[Kelly]

http://www.myfoxhous...hold-fundraiser

Parents of Missing Teen Hold Fundraiser

Updated: Wednesday, 15 Sep 2010, 5:29 PM CDT


SPRING, Texas - The parents of a missing Spring teenager are holding a fundraiser this weekend to help them bring attention to the case.

Alexandria Lowitzer, 16, vanished last April after getting off a school bus.

The Spring High School student was walking to her job at a restaurant when she disappeared, her father, John Lowitzer, says.

The Harris County Sheriff's Department considers the teen a probable runaway because there's no evidence of foul play.

But her father insists Alexandria did not runaway.

"She had a good home life," John Lowitzer says.

The Sheriff's Department has assigned only one investigator to the case because there is no evidence to pursue.

"It' frustrating," Lowitzer says.

The fundraiser is scheduled for Saturday, September 18th, at the Spring Tavern, 24401 Aldine Westfield Road in Spring.

[Jenn]

http://www.hcnonline..._missing_ch.txt

A mother begs for her missing daughter’s return
Alexandria Lowitzer has been missing since April 26, 2010. The 16-year-old was last seen exiting the school bus.

By SATARA WILLIAMS Updated: 10.20.10

Alexandria Lowitzer, a resident of Northwest Houston, has been described by many as a typical 16-year-old.

She was involved in a softball team, held down a job at the Burger Barn, balanced her time between school and a social life and talked of plans for the future.

On April 26 2010, the teenager called her mother before getting on the school bus and said she was going to collect her paycheck from her job.

Six months later, the pay stub has yet to be retrieved.

“I got home from work and we usually text by then. After not hearing from her I went up, just before 9 (p.m.), to the Burger Barn and it was closed,” Lowitzer’s mother, Jo Ann Lowitzer, said. “That’s when I started to panic.”

The mother of two said she tried to locate Alexandria frantically without no avail. She contacted her daughter’s father and friends; however, no one had heard from the teen, according to Jo Ann Lowitzer.

She finally went over to Alexandria’s boyfriend’s house only to discover that he had been suffering the same road block, she said.

According to a study by the United States Department of Justice, 797,500 children (younger than 18-years-old) were reported missing in the span of one year which correlates to 2,185 children being absent from home each day.

Local families continue to be torn a part as 206 Texas adolescents can be found on the National Center of Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) database.

“It’s been terrible. Not knowing is the worse feeling for me,” Jo Ann Lowitzer said in between sobs. “I have to have hope and keep doing anything and everything I can do to find her.”

She has remained true to her word and has enlisted 100 volunteers for ground searches, hosted local benefits, kayaked through Cypress Creek, made calendars and even devoted a page to her daughter’s discovery on Facebook.

With the help of friends and neighbors, the Lowitzer family has been able to raise and offer a $10,000 reward in Alexandria’s honor.

“She spoke her mind and was very outgoing,” Sharon Sligh, a resident who has been active in the fundraising efforts, said. “The weekend before her disappearance she was at Girl Scout camp. She was just a good girl.”

Surveillance footage, which has recently been obtained, shows that Alexandria did in fact board the school bus; however, all evidence ends there as the fellow bus riders don’t recall her whereabouts, according to reports.

Contrary to Jo Ann Lowitzer’s beliefs, the case is being categorized as a runaway due to no signs of foul play, she said.

“The criteria we look for to differentiate between a runaway and an abduction is evidence, history of the children and if there’s any foul play involved,” Sgt. Doug Thomas of the Harris County Sheriff’s Office Missing Persons Unit.

The fact that Alexandria’s home was only three houses down from the bus stop, which was only a quarter of a mile away from the burger shop, has left many in the community wary of their surroundings.

“I have two teenage girls of my own so I worry about them,” Sligh said. “I’m very adamant that they’re not walking around because it doesn’t matter where it is. Alli just got off a school bus and then vanished.”

NCMCE’s national lost hotline has managed more than 2.5 million calls, according to the organization. However, Thomas said many residents are still unaware that they can report a missing individual at anytime.

“Do not wait. Call us immediately,” he said. “There is no waiting period for missing persons. It’s very important that people know that.”

For Alexandria’s mother, not a day goes by that she doesn’t long to see her daughter, Jo Ann Lowitzer said.

“I think somebody took her. If she ran away she would’ve contacted me by now.

“For her to take off on her own free will without anything of her own is just not like her,” she said. “I know something is wrong. A mom just knows.”

Want to help?

If you have any information regarding Alexandria Lowtizer’s current location, call the Harris County Sheriff’s Office Missing Persons Unit at (713) 755-7427.

[Kelly]

Alexandria has been placed on Project Jason's 18 Wheel Angels campaign. A special poster has been made for her and can be downloaded and printed for placement. More information about the program, and the link for the poster can be found here:

http://projectjason.org/18wheel.shtml

In addition to the campaign, Alexandria was also featured in a national trucking publications, either Independent Contractor or TruckJobSeekers. These free magazines are distributed in truck stops nationwide and have a circulation of about 150,000.

Independent Contractor and TruckJobSeekers are two of Target Media Partner's many publications. In partnership with Project Jason, they each feature two missing persons each per month. You can pick up your free copies at a local truck stop, but if it's far from you, you may want to call and ask if they carry that magazine. These are NOT with the regular for purchase magazines.

We hope this helps in the search for Alexandria. Please consider printing and placing a poster in businesses in your community.



Thank you.

Kelly, Project Jason

[Kelly]

A special story written by Ali's parents for the 18 Wheel Angels campaign:


Alexandria “Ali” Joy Lowitzer

Monday , April 26th 2010 in Spring, Texas seemed like any other day for 16 year old Alexandria Lowitzer.  Ali got up for school, raced to the bus as usual. She made it on time and spent a normal day at school. It’s after school that things went wrong.

Before she got on the bus she called her mom and told her she was going to walk up to work, which is less than a quarter mile away down a busy road, to pick up her paycheck and see if she could work that evening. Ali rode the bus home as usual. She got off at her regular stop which is only 3 houses from home.

According to bus video surveillance she exited the bus at 2:45.  She never made it to work. She was last seen wearing a gray hoodie, white t-shirt, black and white checkered skinny jeans and black tennis shoes, carrying a multi colored checkered backpack and a blue LG / AT&T slide phone. She has braces on her upper and lower teeth.

Ali is a person who loves her creature comforts of home. Rarely did she go out with friends. They would usually come over to her house to hang out. Being very artistic she liked being in her room, drawing, painting, listening to music and texting her friends. She’s an active girl involved in softball, Girl Scouts, choir and art. . Ali is an avid texter and would send an average of 4000 text per month. At 3:00 pm, all communications stopped.

Although Law Enforcement classified her as a “runaway” at first, we have reason to believe she is not. We know our daughter, her habits, characteristics and mannerisms. If she was going to runaway she would have taken the time to gather personal belongings that are important to her. She left behind in her room her cell phone charger, cash, make up and clothes. Her room was literally untouched since she left that morning. Her paycheck was never picked up.

After many hours of no contact we started to panic. Calling local law enforcement and reporting her as missing. We made call after call to her friends and their parents. We drove to their houses and asked if they had seen or heard from her. No one had any information at all. We hoped she was just off with a friend and that she would soon come home. The next morning, after no sign of her, we contacted the Laura Recovery Center for help. Almost immediately they had fliers printed up and were putting together a game plan to search for her.

The Laura Recovery Center, along with hundreds of volunteers, organized ground searches and flier distribution to get the word out of her disappearance. For two weeks straight we searched wooded areas, creeks and houses with the help of local mounted search and rescue teams, search dogs, ATV’s and boats. Law enforcement and private investigators continue to follow all the leads that they receive but so far nothing has been solid. 

A word about our Ali: She enjoyed playing softball. Although not the best, she always had fun and couldn't wait to get out there and play. She played many positions but really loved catching.
She would be so happy when she would throw out the runner trying to steal second. Sometimes when it was her turn to bat she would get caught running when she wasn't supposed to and would scramble around the infield to get away from the girl trying to tag her out. It was so funny to watch. We all just cracked up laughing and so did she. One time she was running to third base and the baseman was standing over the bag and didn't move. Ali ran right in to her and accidentally hit her in the mouth with her elbow and cut herself on the girls’ braces. The girl fell down crying. Ali, feeling so bad about it, started crying too. Ali didn't care that her arm was bleeding; she was more worried about the little girl being hurt.

Oh, what we would give to see her play softball again, even if just for a moment


After over 4 months of not knowing what happened to Ali, we continue to reach out to whoever we can to help us find our daughter and bring her home. We hope and pray that you would help us by doing what you can. Please download her flier, keep it visible, pass the word, say a prayer and keep a watchful eye out for her. We miss her so much. Someone out there knows something and it may be that one little tip, that one phone call that brings our baby girl back home. Please help us.

To this day we continue to search on our own in hopes that something will turn up.


You can visit Ali’s facebook page. It’s: Bring Home Ali Lowitzer. If you have any information you can contact The Laura Recovery Center at 281-482-5723, www.LRCF.org, Harris County Sheriff’s Office at 713-221-6000, case # 57351, National Center For Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST (843-5678)
.Thank you for taking the time to read about our daughter.

Sincerely,
John and Jo Ann Lowitzer.

[Jenn]

Charley Project Profile for Ali: http://www.charleypr...alexandria.html

[Kelly]

http://www.khou.com/...-110919494.html

Heartache through the holidays for family of missing teen

by Tiffany Craig / 11 News
khou.com
Posted on November 28, 2010 at 11:02 AM
Updated today at 11:18 AM

SPRING, Texas—The family of Ali Lowitzer is still searching for answers, seven months after the teenager disappeared.

Ali’s father, John Lowitzer, admits that he struggles with his feelings.

"In some sense, you lose faith because of the evil things that are out there," said John Lowitzer, "but you gain a sense of humanity."

Surveillance video showed the 16-year old as she got off the bus at Low Ridge Road on April 26. She was wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt, a white t-shirt, and checkered jeans. She was also carrying a checkered multi-colored backpack.

Ali was never seen again.

The holidays have brought a new sense of sadness, which began when family members asked Jo Ann Lowitzer about their Thanksgiving plans.

"I said, ‘yes we’ll have Thanksgiving as usual,’" said Jo Ann Lowitzer as she choked back tears.

The Lowitzers have been working to put Ali’s picture in display ads on shopping carts throughout the area. The family hopes people will slow down long enough during the holiday rush to look and, possibly, help.

"If she can’t be here, then I pray that she’s safe wherever she is," said John Lowitzer. "That’s the best I could hope for."

A $10,000 reward will be given for information that leads to an arrest in Ali’s case. You can call the Laura Recovery Center toll free at 1-866-898-5723 or email them at recovery@lrcf.net

[Lori Davis]

http://news.blogs.cn...50-days/page/2/

50 people in 50 days: Texas girl vanished after leaving bus

February 2nd, 2011
11:51 PM ET

Editor's note: Nancy Grace's new show on HLN, "Nancy Grace: America's Missing," is dedicated to finding 50 people in 50 days. As part of the effort, which relies heavily on audience participation, CNN.com's news blog This Just In will feature the stories of the missing.

This is the 13th case, and it aired Wednesday night on HLN.

Alexandria "Ali" Lowitzer, 16, was last seen getting off a bus just three houses down from her Spring, Texas, home on April 26.

Shortly before that, she spoke to her mother about her plans to pick up her paycheck from a restaurant just a half-mile walk from the bus stop. Restaurant employees say Ali never made it there.

Police classified her as a runaway. There is no sign of foul play, but her parents feels that something terrible has happened to their daughter.

[Lori Davis]

Where is Ali? Spring family marks a grim anniversary
By RENÉE C. LEE
HOUSTON CHRONICLE
April 25, 2011, 10:43PM

JoAnn Lowitzer walks by her teen daughter's bedroom every night to say good night. She never opens the door, though. It's too painful to see her empty bed.

"It still feels like a dream," said Lowitzer, who cries herself to sleep each night, longing for her daughter's return.

Read more: http://www.chron.com...l#ixzz1P1pDwDUe

[Lori Davis]

Search for missing teen Ali Lowitzer scheduled for July 16

Posted: Friday, July 8, 2011 7:22 pm | Updated: 8:38 pm, Fri Jul 8, 2011.
By STEFANIE THOMAS Houston Community Newspapers



More than a year after the disappearance of 16-year-old Alexandria “Ali” Lowitzer, her family continues to look for the missing teen behind every tree, in every ravine, every alleyway.

Ali’s mother, Jo Ann Lowitzer, says the past 15 months have been an emotional roller coaster.

“Every time we do a search, I’m afraid of what we might find,” she said. “Then, when the search is over and we go home with nothing, I cry because we didn’t find Ali.”

Read more: http://www.yourhoust...290f5f27c6.html

[Lori Davis]

https://www.findthem...g/cases/7260/0/
NamUs profile for Alexandria Lowitzer - Case 7260

Age Progressed to 19

[Lori Davis]

http://m.click2houst...tle=Top Stories

New leads possible in case of missing Spring teen

Story posted 2012.08.11 at 12:30 AM CDT

Local 2 Investigates has learned detectives are looking into a possible connection between the deaths of two Louisiana women and the case of a missing teenager from Spring.

Ali Lowitzer, 16, disappeared after getting off the school bus just feet from her home on April 26, 2010.

Searches, tips and leads have never provided concrete evidence as to what happened to Lowitzer. But a source close to the investigation said one of the early tips in the case put a white pick-up truck in the area.

At the time, the tip did not have direct significance, but the recent arrest of a man in Louisiana with Texas ties has investigators taking a closer look.

Brandon Scott Lavergne, 33, is charged in the deaths of two women. University of Louisiana undergrad, Mickey Schunick and Lisa Pate, who went missing in 1999.

Police investigators have said that Lavergne drove a white pick-up truck and that truck was found abandoned and burned in San Jacinto County earlier this year.

"Whenever we hear something like that it really gets our attention and we start watching it more," John Lowitzer said.

John Lowitzer and his wife, Jo Ann, said they are not sure what to think at this point but they are closely following the Louisiana cases.