Acacia Bishop- Utah- 2003

(Left: Acacia Bishop at 19 months Right: Age-enhanced photo to age 11, circa 2012)

Missing Child Profile as of March 8th, 2015 (based on missingkids.com poster):

Missing Since: May 25, 2003
Missing From: Salt Lake City, UT
DOB: Oct 19, 2001
Age (as of 3/8/2015): 13
Sex: Female
Race: White
Hair Color: Blonde
Eye Color: Blue
Height: 2'6" (at time of disappearance)
Weight: 35 lbs (at time of disappearance)
TIPS: Anyone having information should contact 1-800-THE-LOST or the Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office (Utah) at 1-801-743-7000

Acacia Bishop was only 19-months old when she went missing from Salt Lake City, Utah. She was on AMW's website as a web-exclusive case. Below is the AMW archive description of her case.

To Great-Grandmother's House We Go

On May 25, 2003 Acacia Patience Bishop was dropped off at her great-grandmother's house while her parents were out. Acacia, who was 19-months-old, was playing in the house when her grandmother, Kelly Lodmell, walked into the room.

Acacia's great grandmother was in another room and didn't see her daughter walk in. But by the time she went to check on Acacia, the infant was missing.

Grandmother Could Be Dangerous

Kelly Lodmell, 38, is described by family as a paranoid schizophrenic... a mental disease characterized by hearing non-existent voices and having night terrors.

Acacia's family called Salt Lake City, Utah police and they issued an AMBER alert. Relatives knew Lodmell could be dangerous if her schizophrenia flared up.

Meanwhile, cops say Lodmell drove her grandaughter from Salt Lake City to Idaho Falls, Idaho. A witness saw them at the bank of the Snake River with an unknown man near an overpass in Idaho Falls. Acacia has not been seen since.

What Really Happened To Acacia?

Kelly Lodmell was apprehended by Idaho Falls police the next day, May 26. She told police she drowned Acacia in the Snake River. She claimed it was a failed homocide/suicide attempt.

Then Lodmell changed her story; this time she told authorities she was playing with Acacia in the river, holding her and dangling her feet in the water, when the baby squirmed and fell into the river.

Divers searched the river and found no sign of Acacia. Authorities say there is still a chance Acacia is alive... she may have been passed off to the unknown man witnesses saw with Lodmell and Acacia before Lodmell jumped in the water.

Police and family members sent out posters of Lodmell, hoping someone saw her with Acacia before Lodmell was arrested. Kelly Lodmell is a white female, 38, with brown hair. She is approximately 5'2" and 135 lbs. She has a rose tattoo on her right ankle and a tattoo of flames on her thigh.

Police also were able to create a composite sketch of a man who was seen with Lodmell at the Red Lion Hotel the morning of May 26. Witnesses say he was in his early 40's or 50's, had greying sun bleached hair, hazel colored eyes and a weathered tan appearance. The man was around 5'6" with a slender build and smoked Basic cigarettes. He is wanted for questioning.

Thoughts? It should be noted a Judge found Lodmell insane and had her committed. Unfortunately, the archive no lonnger has the sketch of the man wanted for questioning and all I have is a tiny picture from the Charley Project, but it's better than nothing and is posted below. It unfortunately does not look good based on the grandmother's mental state in my opinion. Basically the hope to cling to is that she gave Acacia away to the man wanted for questioning and therefore she could still be located:



web.archive.org/web/20060919144110/http://www.amw.com/missing_children/case.cfm?id=34019

www.charleyproject.org/cases/b/bishop_acacia.html

www.missingkids.com/poster/NCMC/963601/1

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