WPCNR WHITE PLAINS POLICE GAZETTE. By John F. Bailey. October 24, 2003: Danielle McGuinn, a resident of White Plains, missing since October 1, when her car was found abandoned on the New Jersey Turnpike, was located early Friday morning by the Boulder Colorado Police investigating  a  group of youths for a noise complaint, it was announced today by the White Plains Department of Public Safety.

In a press conference this morning, Commissioner of Public Safety Dr. Frank Straub said Ms. McGuinn was found in good physical health, had spoken with her mother, who was expected to travel to Boulder to reunite with her daughter. Dr. Straub would not comment on how Ms. McGuinn made her way to Colorado, after having abandoned her vehicle, but said White Plains detectives had interviewed Ms. McGuinn, and said there was no evidence of foul play involved.

Dr. Frank Straub Commissioner of Public Safety delivers the good news. Captain Ann Fitzsimmons is at right, Mayor Joseph Delfino, left. Photo by WPCNR News.

Straub said McGuinn was identified when Boulder, (Colorado), Police Officers Richert and Burke in dealing with young persons causing a distrubance, asked for their identification. The missing woman gave her name as Danielle McGuinn, and the officers ran a National Crime Information Center check  (The NCIC is a national criminal justice network that contains records on stolen property, license plates, guns, securities, boats and serialized articles; persons for whom arrest warrants are outstanding, unidentified persons and missing persons meeting certain criteria, and criminal histories of persons arrested for serious offenses.)

The Commissioner said Ms. McGuinn was taken to Boulder Community Hospital for a routine check, and White Plains Police notified Mrs. Lynn McGuinn at 5 A.M. to tell her that her daughter was safe and well. Straub reported the mother had spoken to her daughter and was making arrangements to meet up with her daughter in Boulder.

Straub commended Captain Ann Fitzsimmons for leading the White Plains Police effort to find Ms. McGuinn, which he said consisted of interviewing 50 of her friends. Detectives in charge of the search and investigation for the White Plains Police Department were Detectives Todd Moskallik and Detective Richard Lee. They also interviewed professors and students at Iona College, family members, hospitals, shelters and used computer technology including cell phone information and e-mail use to find her whereabouts. This fact-finding effort led White Plains Police to believe she was in Colorado based on two e-mails they discovered that were sent by Ms. McGuinn since October 1.

She sent an e-mail to wish a friend happy birthday on October 17, from the town of Glenwood Springs, Colorado, the first indication that she was alive. Then police were made aware of another e-mail sent from Carbondale, Colorado, by Ms. McGuinn to another friend. The White Plains Police began working with Glenwood Springs and Carbondale police at that time. Colorado authorities as a result of the White Plains Police effort were made aware that Danielle could be in their state. This effort paid off with the discovery of Ms. McGuinn Friday morning.

In response to reporters' questions, Dr. Straub gave no reason for Danielle's apparent flight, or how she traveled from the New Jersey Turnpike where her car was found to the Colorado area. Asked if her emotional state at the time of disappearance was a factor, Straub said, "We have talked to her. There are no details now. There was a lot of emotion."

He allowed there may have been "a myriad of reasons" for her disappearance, saying police would be talking to her in more detail. He did say "she went out (to Colorado) on her own. We're not 100% sure what her motivation was. She had been out to Colorado before. We believe she had a couple of friends out there, staying in 2 or 3 different places. We have some ideas how she got out there."

The WABC-TV correspondent questioned if the 24 hour, 7 day a week effort to find Ms. McGuinn was taking the police effort off other matters, and whether the police were investing too much effort and if the police resented the young woman's apparent running away.

 Straub appeared dumbfounded by the question for a moment, then responded,

"This is what Police work is about. A distraught mother called us and asked us to help find her daughter. Our job is to help members of the community."