Merged Sylvia Browne: "You'll meet her (Amanda Berry) in heaven" / Sylvia Browne wrong again

Plain Dealer Publishing Co.
Plain Dealer (Cleveland)

March 5, 2006 Sunday
Final Edition; All Editions
SECTION: METRO; Pg. B1
LENGTH: 535 words
HEADLINE: On her heart: missing Mandy
BYLINE: REGINA BRETT, Plain Dealer Columnist

Every few months she called.

She always wanted the impossible: Find Mandy.

She wanted me to do more. Write another story. Call the FBI. Get the TV cameras rolling.

"Please, honey," she begged.

She always called me honey, though she was younger than I.

I never met anyone like Louwana Miller, whose daughter Amanda Berry vanished after her shift at Burger King on April 21, 2003. She had told her sister on a cell phone, "I've got a ride. I'll call you back." Then she vanished between Burger King and her home a few blocks away on West 111th.
...
Louwana was angry. She chain-smoked Marlboros. She didn't trust the police, so she put her own phone number on the fliers.
...
When I was there, she was watching a psychic on Montel. "We need her," Louwana hollered at the TV as a friend wrote down the number.

Before that psychic did her in, Louwana tried everything else.

She pestered the police and FBI for clues. She got people to knock on doors, staple fliers on telephone poles, hold candlelight vigils and prayer rallies.

She begged the media for more coverage, and we let her down.
...
She told me she named Amanda from a Conway Twitty song, "Amanda, the light of my life." She still bought Christmas presents for Amanda and sat on her bed listening to her music.

Louwana started every conversation angry, cried in the middle, and ended saying, "Thank you for doing whatever you can, honey."

The last time we spoke, she demanded, "I want her on the news. She's faded away from the whole world. It just kills me. This is killing me." It finally did.

She got her wish to see psychic Sylvia Browne, who told her about a short, stocky Burger King customer in his 20s wearing a red fleece coat. The psychic said Mandy died on her birthday, that she didn't suffer, that her black hooded jacket was in a Dumpster with DNA on it.

The psychic promised, "You'll see her in heaven." That was Louwana's final hope.

Around Christmas I heard Louwana was in the hospital. It still shocked me when she died Thursday. I couldn't help thinking of how she took the faded yellow ribbons off the front yard fence, washed them and put them on Mandy's bed. How she cried, "No one cares."

The truth is no one cared as much as she did. No one could. She was a mother facing a fate worse than death: not knowing.

Every time I called the FBI, special agent Bob Hawk, who has since retired, would tell me, "We are working on it every day. We haven't given up."

Louwana did.

She died of heart failure.

To contact the FBI with tips, call 216-522-1400.

Click to expand...

November 18, 2004 Thursday
Final Edition; All Editions
SECTION: METRO; Pg. B1
LENGTH: 360 words
HEADLINE: Psychic leaves mom ‘98 percent’ sure missing daughter is dead
BYLINE: Stephen Hudak, Plain Dealer Reporter
BODY:

For 19 months, Louwana Miller refused to give up hope that her missing daughter might still be alive.

Not anymore.

Desperate for any clue as to Amanda Berry’s whereabouts, and tired of unanswered questions from authorities, Miller turned to a psychic on Montel Williams’ nationally syndicated television show.

The psychic said what the FBI, police and Miller hadn’t.

“She’s not alive, honey,” Sylvia Browne told her matter-of-factly. “Your daughter’s not the kind who wouldn’t call.”

With those blunt words, Browne persuaded Miller to accept a grim probability that has become more likely with each passing day.

Miller went back to the West Side home where she had been keeping Amanda’s things in careful order and cleaned up. She gave away her daughter’s computer and took down her pictures. “I’m not even buying my baby a Christmas present this year,” she said.

Miller said she returned devastated from the show, taped this month in New York.

“I lost it,” she said.

Miller said she believes “98 percent” in Browne.
...

Click to expand...

Copyright 2004 Paramount Pictures Corp.
All Rights Reserved
THE MONTEL WILLIAMS SHOW

Prepared by Burrelle's Information Services, which takes sole responsibility for accuracy of transcription.

SHOW: The Montel Williams Show 5:00 PM EST SYND

November 17, 2004 Wednesday
...

WILLIAMS: My next guest needs to know what happened to her missing daughter. Now, this has been crazy, Sylvia. Take a look at this.

(Excerpt from videotape)

WILLIAMS: On April 21st, 2003, 16-year-old Amanda Berry left her part-time job never to be seen again.

LOUWANA: It was the day before her 17th birthday. She had just got off of work, and she was walking home. Then she said, `I got a ride. I'll call you right back.'

WILLIAMS: Amanda never made it home that night. She was last seen getting into a vehicle with three men. Local law enforcement and FBI were immediately called in. The FBI, who had tapped the family's home phone, discovered that the stranger had called from Amanda's cell.

LOUWANA: I got a phone call four or five days later, and they said, `Amanda's with me. She's fine, and I'll have her home in a few days.' And then a few days never came. It's been a year and a half since I've heard anything from my daughter. I need to speak with Sylvia to see if she can help me find out where my daughter is.

WILLIAMS: To this day, Amanda Berry has never been found.

(End of excerpt)

WILLIAMS: Please welcome Louwana to the show. Louwana, I mean, did your daughter normally--she called, obviously, and said to you, `I have a ride home.' Was that normal? That--just that? She would get a friend to pick her up and bring her home?

LOUWANA: Yeah, she usually had somebody to take her to work or a friend would, you know, meet her outside or something because she just hated walking in that uniform. She hated it.

Ms. BROWNE: Did she know of anybody by the name of...(censored by network).

LOUWANA: I don't--I don't know. That don't sound familiar.

Ms. BROWNE: Now, what I don't understand is her jacket was in a dumpster. Because she's wearing a jacket.

WILLIAMS: Was she wearing a jacket?

LOUWANA: She had on a black, hooded jacket, yes.

WILLIAMS: Would that give a clue to who--I mean, obviously...

Ms. BROWNE: Oh, yeah.

WILLIAMS: ...the last witness who saw her said three people?

Ms. BROWNE: Because with the--the "CSI" and everything else we have on now, the forensics--and I'm not trying to knock the police department, because I know they're overloaded, and I work with a lot of them.

WILLIAMS: But did she not say, `I have a ride home,' as if it was one person?

LOUWANA: Right, she said, `I have a ride.'

Ms. BROWNE: There was only one person.

LOUWANA: She was talking to my other daughter, and she said, `I have a ride, and I'll call you in a minute,' which we always keep in contact.

Ms. BROWNE: Now, the thing that gets me is this sort of Cuban-looking, short kind of stocky build, heavyset...

LOUWANA: Can you tell me if they'll ever find her? Is she out there?

Ms. BROWNE: She's--see, I hate this when they're in water. I just hate this. She's not alive, honey. And I'll tell you why, here we go again. Your daughter was not the type that would not have called you.

LOUWANA: Right.

Ms. BROWNE: In other words, there's a lot of runaways. You know what I'm saying...

LOUWANA: Right.

Ms. BROWNE: ...that I've had on this show, where I say, `Oh, forget it, they're in Podunk, Idaho, or somewhere.' Your daughter was not the type that wouldn't have checked in with you if she was alive.

LOUWANA: Right. Right.

Ms. BROWNE: But I'm sorry they didn't find the jacket. I'm sorry they didn't find, because that had DNA on it.

WILLIAMS: Is there any way that they can--this case will be solved? Or...

Ms. BROWNE: I think it will, especially if they look for this person. I can't believe--can you go back? Are there any people working there now that was working there then?

LOUWANA: I don't think so.

Ms. BROWNE: Well, there's got to be somebody that you could track or the police could track.

LOUWANA: He was a young kid? Or...

Ms. BROWNE: He was maybe 21, something like that, 21, 22.

LOUWANA: Does he have...

Ms. BROWNE: Always wore his pants very low, you know?

WILLIAMS: The police have no--nothing, correct?

LOUWANA: Nothing. And if anything they do find out, I--I don't hear nothing of it until it comes out on the news or something and they...

Ms. BROWNE: That's very common because a lot of times, they don't want to give any clues to anyone because we have a lot of copycats, and then they'll call in, you know? I remember when I was working on the Bundy case, they wouldn't let anything out, no.

LOUWANA: So you don't think I'll ever get to see her again?

Ms. BROWNE: Yeah, in heaven, on the other side.

WILLIAMS: Let me take a little break. We'll be right back after this.

...

Click to expand...

November 18, 2004 Thursday
Final Edition; All Editions
SECTION: METRO; Pg. B1
LENGTH: 360 words
HEADLINE: Psychic leaves mom ‘98 percent’ sure missing daughter is dead
BYLINE: Stephen Hudak, Plain Dealer Reporter
BODY:

For 19 months, Louwana Miller refused to give up hope that her missing daughter might still be alive.

Not anymore.

Desperate for any clue as to Amanda Berry’s whereabouts, and tired of unanswered questions from authorities, Miller turned to a psychic on Montel Williams’ nationally syndicated television show.

The psychic said what the FBI, police and Miller hadn’t.

“She’s not alive, honey,” Sylvia Browne told her matter-of-factly. “Your daughter’s not the kind who wouldn’t call.”

...

Click to expand...

Questioninggeller said:

I agree. I thought other people should read this story.

Click to expand...

LostAngeles said:

Transcript if anyone's interested:

Edit: Notice once again, ZOMFG DARKIE

[...]Ms. BROWNE: Because with the--the "CSI" and everything else we have on now, the forensics--and I'm not trying to knock the police department, because I know they're overloaded, and I work with a lot of them[...]

Ms. BROWNE: I remember when I was working on the Bundy case, they wouldn't let anything out, no.

Click to expand...

Ms. BROWNE: In other words, there's a lot of runaways. You know what I'm saying...

LOUWANA: Right.

Ms. BROWNE: ...that I've had on this show, where I say, `Oh, forget it, they're in Podunk, Idaho, or somewhere.'

Click to expand...

Darat said:

...That's very common because a lot of times, they don't want to give any clues to anyone because we have a lot of copycats, and then they'll call in, you know? I remember when I was working on the Bundy case, they wouldn't let anything out, no....

Is it worthwhile trying to contact the agencies that worked on that case and ask if there is a record she worked on it?

Click to expand...

THE MONTEL WILLIAMS SHOW
SHOW: The Montel Williams Show 5:00 PM EST SYND
November 17, 2004 Wednesday
LENGTH: 7153 words
HEADLINE: Sylvia Browne: Mysteries Revealed; Psychic Sylvia Browne answers guests' questions about unusual events
BODY:

...
Ms. BROWNE: Always wore his pants very low, you know?

WILLIAMS: The police have no--nothing, correct?

LOUWANA: Nothing. And if anything they do find out, I--I don't hear nothing of it until it comes out on the news or something and they...

Ms. BROWNE: That's very common because a lot of times, they don't want to give any clues to anyone because we have a lot of copycats, and then they'll call in, you know? I remember when I was working on the Bundy case, they wouldn't let anything out, no.

LOUWANA: So you don't think I'll ever get to see her again?

Ms. BROWNE: Yeah, in heaven, on the other side.
...

Click to expand...

The Montel Williams Show
SHOW: THE MONTEL WILLIAMS SHOW 5:00 PM EST
March 28, 2007 Wednesday
LENGTH: 9593 words
HEADLINE: SYLVIA BROWNE: MYSTERIES REVEALED
ANCHORS: MONTEL WILLIAMS, HOST
BODY:
...

MONTEL WILLIAMS, HOST: What do you think? I'm sorry, Debbie, you should ask the questions. I'm sorry. You wanted to ask Sylvia a question, go ahead.

DEBORAH, DAUGHTER WAS BEATEN TO DEATH ON JULY 30, 2003: That's okay. Thank you. Yeah, you know, we just don't have any answers, yet. Our world was turned upside down July 30th, 2003.

SYLVIA BROWNE, BEST SELLING AUTHOR AND WORLD RENOWNED PSYCHIC: Sure it was.

DEBORAH, DAUGHTER WAS BEATEN TO DEATH ON JULY 30, 2003: They've had leads, but we just don't have any solid answers. I'd like to know if, you know, we don't know where the murder weapon is.

MONTEL WILLIAMS, HOST: There's something that's also weird. No forced entry.

SYLVIA BROWNE, BEST SELLING AUTHOR AND WORLD RENOWNED PSYCHIC:
Right.

MONTEL WILLIAMS, HOST: No rape.

SYLVIA BROWNE, BEST SELLING AUTHOR AND WORLD RENOWNED PSYCHIC: Yeah.

MONTEL WILLIAMS, HOST:No sexual assault.

SYLVIA BROWNE, BEST SELLING AUTHOR AND WORLD RENOWNED PSYCHIC: Right. Just a serial killer.

MONTEL WILLIAMS, HOST: No burglary.

SYLVIA BROWNE, BEST SELLING AUTHOR AND WORLD RENOWNED PSYCHIC: It's a serial killer.

MONTEL WILLIAMS, HOST: Okay.

SYLVIA BROWNE, BEST SELLING AUTHOR AND WORLD RENOWNED PSYCHIC : Yeah, you know how long it took them to gut Bundy.

MONTEL WILLIAMS, HOST: Right.

Click to expand...

THE MONTEL WILLIAMS SHOW
SHOW: The Montel Williams Show (5:00 PM ET) - SYND
April 30, 2003 Wednesday

...
DORIS: She went to a New Year's Eve party in Seattle, Washington. Her name is Amitra. Never came home. Three months later, a gentleman was driving and saw her--I'm gonna start crying--saw her body, and reported it, and she was just a skeleton. We have no clue who killed her.

WILLIAMS: She was also found in that same area that's known as the Green River area, correct?

DORIS: Yes.

Ms. BROWNE: It's the same area that--when I went on an investigation with the Bundy case.

WILLIAMS: I believe so.

Ms. BROWNE: Yeah, this is where I was looking for the ears and--oh, it was horrible. This was--I don't even know, 'cause it's been awhile since I've been up in Seattle. I used to do a lot of cases up there. But this guy has been known as a person who jogged around that area. So I don't know whether they've called him the serial jogger, but that's what I would call him.
...

Click to expand...

THE MONTEL WILLIAMS SHOW
SHOW: The Montel Williams Show (5:00 PM ET) - SYND
November 26, 2003 Wednesday
LENGTH: 7466 words
HEADLINE: Sylvia Browne: the unexplainable; psychic Sylvia Browne answers guests' questions about mysteries in their lives
BODY:
...
Ms. BROWNE: With the strangulation and everything else?

CECILIA: Yes, strangulation.

Ms. BROWNE: See, that's what I mean. And then what I'm afraid of, there's gonna be another one.

WILLIAMS: Do you think there has been more than just this?

Ms. BROWNE: This is an older--oh, yeah. If you remember, like Bundy. We don't know--you know, I mean, I went around Washington, and there was hundreds, I think he did. This is a very stocky older man, grayish hair, but thick build. I'd say he's in his 50s.

WILLIAMS: So you should check back and see if there were any part-time maintenance employees that had been--that doesn't necessarily mean that he had to be employed at the time that the murder took place.

Ms. BROWNE: He was balding, but he had a tuft of hair right here. It was funny-looking, you know, like a tuft, right here.
...

Click to expand...

LostAngeles said:

Have you passed this on to both RS and Randi, btw?

Click to expand...

The Vampire said:

Bundy? Is she referring to Ted Bundy?

Click to expand...

AudioFreak said:

I'd just like to clarify that this thread isn't implying that Browne is somehow responsible for Louwana Miller's death. Am I right?

Now surely, it's a horrible thing that because of Browne's lies she gave up on the search for her daughter and certainly had a negative impact on the mother's life. However the fact remains that the authorities have continued their investigation and the mother passed away. Louwana's death, unlike her mental state, seems to be unrelated to Browne's comments outside of any psycho-somatic arguments one might wish to argue. Likewise, the police have not discontinued their investigation based on Browne's psychic evaluation.

But this really is a tragedy. How can that woman sleep at night? To exploit the most painful and horrible trauma a parent can go through for personal gain and to have such little disregard for a missing child that she would inspire a mother to give up looking for her? It's absolutely sickening.

Click to expand...