Missing Person

Riverside, Ca- The Riverside Police Department is asking for the public’s help in locating a missing mother of two children. On July 24, 2007, at 3:26 p.m., the Riverside Police Dispatch center received a call from a caregiver who arrived at 19340 Totem Ct., Riverside, where she found an eight-year-old autistic boy and 1 ½ year-old girl unattended. The youngest child was bleeding from numerous lacerations and the mother was missing.

Emergency personnel responded and the child was transported to a Riverside Community Hospital, treated for non-life threatening injuries and released to the care of Child Protective Services. The son was also taken in to protective custody.

Police investigators and forensic technicians obtained a search warrant for the home and the on-going investigation has revealed the following information thus far:

Melissa Lindstrom, 35, and her children are the only occupants of the home. Ms. Lindstrom is unemployed and was last contacted by a family friend at about 8 p.m. on Monday, July 23, 2007. Family members say that she spends little time outside the home and that they have been supporting her financially. Investigators have not found any evidence indicating that foul play is involved in Melissa’s disappearance, nor that anyone other than Melissa and her children would have been home at the time the youngest child was injured.

Melissa’s vehicle is missing and is described as a 1998, Ford Crown Victoria, light blue, no license plates and it has a cracked front grille. Attached are copies of a Missing Person’s flyer distributed throughout neighboring states and a picture of similar vehicle.

Investigation continues. Anyone with information helpful to this investigation is urged to call Riverside Police Detective Julian Hutzler at (951) 353-7125 or Detective Mike Medici at (951) 353-7104.

Download the Missing Person bulletin (PDF)

Melissa Lindstrom		1998 Ford Crown Victoria