Investigation Still Open For Missing Maury Co. Woman

Posted: Feb 6, 2008 02:19 AM EST

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Investigation Still Open For Missing Maury Co. Woman






http://www.newschannel5.com/Global/story.asp?s=7829204




CHAPEL HILL, Tenn. - Almost four years, a Maury County girl disappeared without a trace.

It's hard for Amber Cates' family to imagine almost four years have passed since the last time anyone has seen her.

Sunday was her 20th birthday.

At 16, Cates was originally considered a runaway, but as time passed authorities felt something had happened to her.

Her sister Brenda James had legal custody of her when she went to her mother's house for a visit.

According to police, she left her mother's house with James Gordon.

Gordon said he left Amber Cates in the company of man known as California.

Maury County Sheriff's detectives felt they made a break in the case when they found California in September.

He was serving time at the Talladega, Ala., federal prison.

Detectives didn't get a lot of information out of him, but he's still considered a person of interest.

There are few tips in the case.

"We all thought she would show back up when she turned 18, let us know something that she was okay, but that didn't happen," said a sister.

Since her disappearance, Amber' Cates' Social Security number has not been used. There is also no record of her getting a job.

Detectives said she may have changed her identity.

Even though she is 20, she has been placed again on the National Exploited and Missing Children's watch list.

She is one of two girls currently missing from Maury County.

http://z10.invisionfree.com/usedtobedoe/in...showtopic=30930

Authorities seek missing teens

Jan 27, 2008 | Daily Herald

... in a federal prison in Alabama and says he doesn't know where the girl is, Williams said. Brenda James, of Chapel Hill, Cates' sister, had custody of Amber at the time she disappeared. James said Cates grew up in Spring Hill, lived in several states ...

Authorities seek missing teens

Jan 27, 2008 | Daily Herald

... given up hope on the only two missing children in Maury County. Sheriff's Department investigators want to find Amber Cates, who disappeared in April 2004 at the age of 16, before she turns 20. Cates left her mother's residence on 2381 Tracy Lane in ..

http://www.topix.com/wire/city/chapel-hill-tn/p2

http://www.missingkids.com/missingkids/ser...earchLang=en_US
AMBER ELIZABETH CATES
Case Type: Endangered Runaway
DOB: Feb 3, 1988 Sex: Female
Missing Date: Apr 11, 2004 Race: White
Age Now: 21 Height: 5'5" (165 cm)
Missing City: COLUMBIA Weight: 100 lbs (45 kg)
Missing State : TN Hair Color: Brown
Missing Country: United States Eye Color: Hazel
Case Number: NCMC1110243
Circumstances: Amber was last seen on April 11, 2004. She may be in the company of an adult male. Amber may still be in the local area or she may travel to Georgia or Texas.

http://z10.invisionfree.com/usedtobedoe/in...pic=30930&st=0&

http://www.wsmv.com/news/17689796/detail.html

2 Students Return Home After Running Away

POSTED: 4:21 pm CDT October 10, 2008
UPDATED: 6:01 pm CDT October 10, 2008


COLUMBIA, Tenn. -- In the past few weeks, four Maury County teens who attended different schools have either not come home from school or left home without letting their parents know.



Brenda James stands at her front door hoping her sister will come home.

Amber Elizabeth Cates was 16 years old when she was last seen in Columbia in April of 2004. Police said the trail has gone cold and they have no leads.


"No leads, every lead they get is a dead end," said James.


Cates is just one of a handful of teenagers in the area who have gone missing in the past few years.


Sarah Elizabeth Hale, 16, is one of the four Maury County teens who was reported missing within a few days of each other after fall break.


Jamie Rodgers, 17, and Thomas McCall Gage, 16, are back home after running away.


However, Dominique Lawrence, 17, is still nowhere to be found, and Tyler Michael Yates is still missing as well.


Maury County Sheriff's Detective Randall Hickman said all of the teens appear to have nothing in common except the time-frame of their disappearances, which was just after fall break.


Police said most of the time missing teens eventually come home, but authorities said they have to always assume the worst and work leads until they know differently. They are treating each case as a missing person spending hours looking for them.


Police said someone called and said they saw Hale in the Lawrenceburg, Tenn., area, but by the time Hickman got there, she was gone.


James has a heartfelt message for young people who may be running away from home because of rebellion. She said predators are waiting for opportunities like this, while loved ones are hurting.


"Don't make your parents worry and wonder like I have. I'd love to have her home," said James.


Sometimes the eight detectives in the Maury County said that the sheriff's department can spend as much time looking for missing people as they do investigating burglaries and other crimes.


Police said Cates was last seen with a man four years ago who goes by the name California.



Anyone with information about Cates or the other missing teens is asked to call police.

http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/c/cates_amber.html