OR PEM YATES: Missing from Portland, OR - 1978 - Age 15

I am trying to help my boyfriend, Denny Wehrli, locate his half sister Pem Michelle Yates, she also went by Pem Wehrli. The story of Pem has me floored, as I am sure many of you may feel too. She was 15 and ran away from Portland OR to look for her dad in California. Her mom was contacted by Cali police asking if she had permission to be in another state. That w.as the last time they heard from her. Her mom (Bo Monique Bradbury aka Barbara Cecile Briggs) has since passed away. Before she passed she had reached out on social media asking for help locating Pem, apologizing and letting her know she had changed her name, and her half sister posted on many sights giving some info also in search of Pem. Pem was born on March 31, 1963 in Norfolk VA to Barbara Cecile Briggs, and J Yates. Pem went to Hood River High school, and also to school in Portland OR. She has not been seen or heard from since. She is not on the missing persons website, because she has no case number, and I am not sure if we can file one now, after all these years. Denny is willing to submit DNA if it would help in finding out what happened to his sister. I am a mom, and I cannot fathom not looking for my missing child or filing a missing persons report for my missing 15 year old...I want to help in any way I can to brin answers to Denny and his sister. If any of you have any advice to help in my search for Pem, or how to get her on the national missing persons list without a case number, or how to get her one. She has been missing since 1978-ish.


MEDIA - PEM YATES: Missing from Portland, OR - 1978 - Age 15
 

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Mom never made a report. I spoke to a detective in Klickitat County and told him about my sister and he never bothered to contact me again afterwards. Is there somewhere online I can file a missing persons report? Or do I have to go to Portland Oregon where she was last seen and file in person?
 
I don't have words but I hope it is healing to share it. I know getting things out and being heard is something that helps me process and work through things over time with things that are not the same as this of course--doesn't fix it but helps process maybe. Again I don't have words. I can tell you are committed to getting answers and I hope you get them. One thing I do know is there are some things in life that are just too much and one cannot leave them go even if others are telling you to. With what you have shared, I do know this much, I would be the same way I'm pretty sure, I wouldn't be able to let anything like you are talking about go until it was known/heard and there were answers.

I'm sorry your childhood was this way and that you had such a horrid loss.

So she was never reported missing or searched for or anyone questioned from what I've read in this thread?
No. No missing person report has been filed. Mom always stuck to the runaway story and claimed law enforcement in California knew she had permission to cross state lines as a minor (supposedly). As far as mom was concerned that was that. She would never have filed a report stating anything otherwise because of the possibility of incriminating herself more than likely im assuming. My brother Denny never showed any kind of interest in our sisters whereabouts until now, after mom has died. He claimed he didn't remember her and pretty much didn't care. Now that mom isn't here to be questioned or any possibility of facing prison...or "ruining her legacy"...now he decides to show interest. My gut tells me he knows more that'll he let's on. Makes me nauseous thinking mom may have told him the whole story beyond the couple sentences she would recite over and over to explain how her daughter was no longer present in our lives. When I found our two half brothers, adopted at one and two years old...50 years later...her three sentence explanation of why they were gone turned into a 18 page front and back letter she sent to them as to why she wasn't in their lives. Keep it simple..and you'll never forget what you've said? Spose that may work...unless you have someone like me that asks too many questions over too many years and suddenly the story kept changing back and forth lie after lie. Mom says she ran away with her boyfriend for example. I asked her who he was and what his name was. She'd claim she didn't know his name but he was African American. I'd wait a few months to ask her the same questions. Suddenly Pems bf was Hispanic.
It's questions like that she couldn't keep straight. The little stuff. She hated me for never just allowing Pem to be swept under rug. My brother hates me for my persistence. He has gone above and beyond to hurt me for pursuing this matter. I'm curious if maybe I've recently inspired his sudden interest because of one of the last messages I sent to him?
Anyways, my point is that no one else in the family has shown any real interest in locating Pem over all these years until now. That's why there's no report. I'm literally the only one that's never given up. Guess I was concerned that if I made a report somehow it wouldn't be taken seriously especially if my mom was to claim otherwise? She sent me on a few goose chases before with misleading documentation...made up lies to attempt to discredit me. Will I be taken seriously placing a report of I'm the only one that's ever cared?? Please...I'll do whatever I gotta do to get this going.
Thank you so much for all your interest and help, I cannot convey how much it means to me. I will never give up.
 
No. No missing person report has been filed. Mom always stuck to the runaway story and claimed law enforcement in California knew she had permission to cross state lines as a minor (supposedly). As far as mom was concerned that was that. She would never have filed a report stating anything otherwise because of the possibility of incriminating herself more than likely im assuming. My brother Denny never showed any kind of interest in our sisters whereabouts until now, after mom has died. He claimed he didn't remember her and pretty much didn't care. Now that mom isn't here to be questioned or any possibility of facing prison...or "ruining her legacy"...now he decides to show interest. My gut tells me he knows more that'll he let's on. Makes me nauseous thinking mom may have told him the whole story beyond the couple sentences she would recite over and over to explain how her daughter was no longer present in our lives. When I found our two half brothers, adopted at one and two years old...50 years later...her three sentence explanation of why they were gone turned into a 18 page front and back letter she sent to them as to why she wasn't in their lives. Keep it simple..and you'll never forget what you've said? Spose that may work...unless you have someone like me that asks too many questions over too many years and suddenly the story kept changing back and forth lie after lie. Mom says she ran away with her boyfriend for example. I asked her who he was and what his name was. She'd claim she didn't know his name but he was African American. I'd wait a few months to ask her the same questions. Suddenly Pems bf was Hispanic.
It's questions like that she couldn't keep straight. The little stuff. She hated me for never just allowing Pem to be swept under rug. My brother hates me for my persistence. He has gone above and beyond to hurt me for pursuing this matter. I'm curious if maybe I've recently inspired his sudden interest because of one of the last messages I sent to him?
Anyways, my point is that no one else in the family has shown any real interest in locating Pem over all these years until now. That's why there's no report. I'm literally the only one that's never given up. Guess I was concerned that if I made a report somehow it wouldn't be taken seriously especially if my mom was to claim otherwise? She sent me on a few goose chases before with misleading documentation...made up lies to attempt to discredit me. Will I be taken seriously placing a report of I'm the only one that's ever cared?? Please...I'll do whatever I gotta do to get this going.
Thank you so much for all your interest and help, I cannot convey how much it means to me. I will never give up.
Well, she is missing. Meaning a detective doesn't need to believe one thing or another I wouldn't think and in fact they shouldn't until looking into it, the point is you have a sister and you don't know where she is whether dead or alive. In either case, she IS missing as to your knowledge of her whereabouts. On top of that you have reasons to wonder with the changing stories and the fact she has never tried apparently to contact you or family. Minors don't just take off and manage in life or find employment and live happily ever after generally. It isn't typical either if you ask me for parents not to worry and look for their 15 year old or report her missing.

It is anyone's guess how much effort they will put into this at this point or how seriously they will take it but I think the time is right for one thing. There is really some upset lately about missing adults not being taken seriously or an investigation commencing quickly enough. Whether anyone believes you or not, you have to get that report made so that you can get her into missing persons databases etc. From there, then you can plan I think and do a lot more.

I wouldn't report it online at all, I would at least call if you can't go in person. Tell them what you know, maybe even refer to this thread or anywhere online you have posted to show you are serious and have been concerned. Once you do that, then you can do as you have been and/or even more imo. If you get a runaround or doubt, keep at it and just ask where it is you are supposed to turn then, what they suggest, where to go or who to talk to, etc. Get a name of who you talk to, etc. but I don't see any reason they wouldn't take you seriously even if they don't consider it their most pressing matter.

Once there is a report, I think you can then do many other things. Your sister knows her name if alive right? Have you checked databases and social media online to see if anyone by her name has an account? Maybe advertise some key places in California seeking information. Maybe fund raise and hire a private detective to look into it. Get her into the missing persons databases.

I know you care deeply and want to find her and to do that, you have to get it reported so you don't want to not do the one thing that would help find her right? Get a phone call in and if they can't connect you immediately to someone (hopefully they will), ask that you be called back, ask for a name of who will be calling and when, etc. Note it. You then have someone to contact and call back if necessary. If they try to "pass the buck" meaning try to tell you you need to call California because of your mother's story, you tell them that the last place seen was not California, you don't know that it is true and don't know where nor details and that she went missing from their jurisdiction (whether she ran away or foul play occurred).

As far as online, look up or do you know the local newspapers in the area you all lived or Pem went missing from? I'd start getting that info and maybe right letters to the paper or try to contact a reporter or even put ads in of whether anyone remembers her, remembers her or events around the time she disappeared, etc.

Here is the thing--let's say she ran away but something happened to her after that and she is not alive OR that something was done to her and she is not alive There could very well be an unclaimed or unidentified body but you are not going to know if she isn't even thought to be missing or in a database so they can possibly match these facts up.

I'm no expert but it is just how I see it but there are people here who know more and seem willing to help but you have to get the ball rolling or make the attempt to do so. And get a name of WHO to talk to or WHO they will be putting on this matter. And report back if you would.

You need to do this. While you may wish someone would do it for you, you worry about being taken seriously and they are even less likely to take someone calling on your behalf seriously and would wonder why you don't do it yourself if true and if concerned.

That's my best two cents worth. Let us know.
 
Mom never made a report. I spoke to a detective in Klickitat County and told him about my sister and he never bothered to contact me again afterwards. Is there somewhere online I can file a missing persons report? Or do I have to go to Portland Oregon where she was last seen and file in person?
I’d call them again and call them again. And if you can’t get any answer from them, call the national center for missing and exploited children and ask them what to do. I’ll bet they can get the ball rolling.


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Mom never made a report. I spoke to a detective in Klickitat County and told him about my sister and he never bothered to contact me again afterwards. Is there somewhere online I can file a missing persons report? Or do I have to go to Portland Oregon where she was last seen and file in person?
I would call LE and ask. IIRC It would be where she went missing from. The last place known for a fact to be. The report is someone's responsibility and it is never too old. That's an excuse. And no case should ever be closed no matter how cold it is. Only with resolution.
 
Denny and I have since married..and contacted a detective in Hood River who has helped us. I bought Denny a DNA test and that is currently processing, so we hope to locate her or other living family if there is any out there. Thank you all for the concern and advice. We have everything we need done to hopefully locate her now. Thank you again-Jennifer & Denny
 
Denny and I have since married..and contacted a detective in Hood River who has helped us. I bought Denny a DNA test and that is currently processing, so we hope to locate her or other living family if there is any out there. Thank you all for the concern and advice. We have everything we need done to hopefully locate her now. Thank you again-Jennifer & Denny
Thank you for the update! I’m really glad you guys have been moving forward. Please continue to keep us in the loop!
 

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