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Although Deborah has been located, she is still not home.

I am udating my sisters site after a couple of days of her having been located.  Things ended VERY SADLY for me after 8 months of hard work to locate her.   Since Deborah is facing some difficult challenges at this time health wise she has refused contact with family members.  There have been very extenuating circumstances due to a dysfunctional lifestyle that my immediate family back home had chosen to live with in the past....and still do to this day.  So, besides her health issues that are not good, I have to face the fact of how difficult a job I have for Deborah to realize that I can provide her a safe environment to live (if I have the extreme God-given blessing of locating her again) I tried repeatedly to get messages to her and all to no avail. I am solidly Broken Hearted as to the turn out of events here. And yes I know she is alive, & I am grateful to Almighty God and give Him the praise for this! I do however have to start my whole journey all over again to redo 8 months of hard work in locating her. I must continue to pray that no harm will come to her since she is homeless and living on the streets.  I never know where she sleeps, where she can get her next meal from, how she can take care of any health issues that may arise, how she can handle anything should she need medication for her asthmatic condition, how she can take care of anything since she has absolutely no funds. The police did confirm that she carries absolutely NO ID whatsoever, had no belongings that they knew of, and that she is definitely living the life of a Homeless Person.  They confirmed her identity through my information and her fingerprints.  I don't know what to do at this point as I no longer have police cooperation to put her back in NCIC.  They feel that since she has found a way to live on the streets -- examples here --finding a way to eat and sleep everyday -- that she is "safe" in their opinion.  With all the crime we see in most cities....save just outside of LA where she was located ... it disappoints me tremendously to see that if law enforcement sees that there is a loved one trying to locate a missing loved one .... that they can choose to do nothing to help me because the laws are set up to where they can tell me "no" to placing her back in NCIC.  It is so obvious my sister is in very bad need of help. I do however want to say here, that there have been some very SUPPORTIVE, COMPASSIONATE Law Enforcement officials that have given of themselves tirelessly in their efforts....whether they were on or off duty did not matter to them.  To these officers with a heart -- my sister was a missing LOVED ONE...she was never just a case file or another number in the system....and to these select law enforcement officials I THANK YOU AND SALUTE YOU FOR YOUR HEARTS.  And, I want to THANK from my heart every single foundation that is out there that lends support and usually at no charge....to the families of the Missing.  These organizations are out there and work tirelessly everyday to help us locate the people that we love. And, thanks to FindMonicaFoundation.org and Donny Brown for continuing to post my sisters site.  Deborah is Still Missing.

I want to ask for everyones prayers to continue on her behalf and on the behalf of her family. This is so very difficult.  I thank every single one for you support thus far. And, I pray that GOD will give me the strength to continue on with what lies ahead. It is very heartbreaking to have a loved one missing. It is Unimaginable to endure the heartbreak of getting this close... to face this kind of failure ... and then to be the victim of today's "laws" as they stand.  After all these months of searching and praying I missed out on getting to talk with my sister....to hold her and tell her how much I love her, and just to physically see her.  I cannot possibly express my great disappointment as I have tirelessly worked to find her. And, there is not one moment that goes by I don't think about her. I pray that someday the laws will be changed.  Until that day comes all those that experience the pain of a missing loved one will be victimized twice over.  Once when their loved one goes missing....and then by the laws of this country as they stand now.  These laws do not protect the MISSING in my personal opinion....for we all know that for every hour a family member has to spend arguing with someone that their teenager is not a runaway, that their loved one IS in fact ill, and so on, is another hour that they lose in their desperate search to help someone they love. 

And, we all know how important every second, every minute, every hour, and every day is when we are searching for someone we love. Take the time to call your your govt. representative and ask that the laws be changed to really help our MISSING in America. You can make a difference right now in the life of someone missing just by doing that. Only you have the power to make your voice heard. 

I LOVE YOU DEBORAH.....
Love,
ReBecca Elizabeth Lewis

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Update for 12/02/05

On the night of Sept. 15, 2005 Deborah was walking along Hwy 101 between Carpenteria and Santa Barbara.  For whatever reason Deborah managed to go off the main Hwy. and was found by a Highway Patrolman on Podaro Lane.  That area is very dark, desolate and very definitely off the main thoroughfare.  When she was seen by the Patrolman he informed Deborah that it was against the law to walk the highways in California and that they needed to take her into the next city.  The Officer noticed that Deborah was not well, and took her to an Emergency Room in Santa Barbara where Deborah refused medical aid.  At some point during her stay in the Emergency Room the Officer approached Deborah and told her that her sister was looking for her and that she loved her very much.  The officer gave Deborah her sisters phone number and asked her to call her.  Deborah replied to the officer that she would call her sister.  Since Deborah refused medical aid and was not admitted to the hospital, and any homeless services would have been closed for the night,  it is assumed that Deborah slept somewhere on the streets that night.  Deborah may have been to a homeless shelter in the area that offers a meal and a possible opportunity to clean up between the hours of 8-4 on the following day of the 16th.  The social services people in the area have now seen Deborah's poster and do not recognize her as someone that is frequenting the area shelters.  We hope that the reason Deborah has not been seen is because she has left the area, and has not met with any harm.  If you have any information about the whereabouts of Deborah J. Centeno, or if you believe that you have seen her please contact the Santa Barbara Police Dept. at 1-805-897-2335. Give them case #05-290-51 and ask for Sgt. Ross Molina.  Or you may contact (toll free) Donny Brown with FindMonica Foundation at 877-499-3100.  You may also contact Deborah's sister at 972-423-1560. PLEASE -- I am Deborah's sister ReBecca and I LOVE her VERY MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Deborah is VERY missed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   I have devoted myself to looking for her since she went missing in Nov. of 2004.  I simply cannot express in words how much I miss my sister.  We were very close growing up and I am so lonely without her.  If you have any information at all on Deborah please do call the authorities or me to give us any information you may have.  No information is trivial when you are looking for a Missing Loved One.  I take very single clue I can get my hands on to try and add one more piece to the puzzle to locate my sister.  Thank you so much for taking the time to read this.  I LOVE YOU DEBBIE!!!! I MISS YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! IF BY ANY CHANCE YOU READ THIS.....PLEASE CALL ANYONE FOR HELP IF YOU ARE ABLE.  AND REMEMBER DEBS.....I LOVE YOU......Becky Thank You, ReBecca Elizabeth

Update August 14, 2006

As of August 14, 2005 Deborah J. Centeno has still not been located.   At the last update Deborah had a Missing Persons Case Number that has since been closed.

Deborah had been located in Santa Barbara shortly before Christmas.  She was seen following a Christmas Parade by Sgt. Ross Molina who was in charge of Deborah's missing persons case when it was open.   He was directing traffic at the time he saw Deborah.  When Sgt. Molina was preparing to leave the office that evening to go and direct traffic for the parade he downloaded Deborah's missing poster and that is how he was able to recognize her.   

We are assuming that Deborah may be somewhere in Central to Northern California area.  She has no funds, no means of transportation and is assumed to be living as a homeless individual.  With no means of support of any kind Deborah has no way to purchase medicine she may need for an asthmatic condition she has had since she was 4.  Deborah has spent her life since that age having severe asthma attacks and been hospitalized at times for her weak health due to the asthma and very severe allergies. 

If you see Deborah please call her family at  972-423-4385 any time of the day or night.  Deborah is VERY LOVED and  VERY MUCH MISSED.  We are eager to have her home again.   PLEASE contact me DIRECTLY if you have seen my sister.  Deborah you can call collect anytime day or night.

ReBecca Elizabeth