Elizabeth A. Pham
The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office Swift Water Team spent five and a half hours Wednesday searching the Cowlitz River for signs of a Centralia woman missing since Saturday.
The Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help finding mother of three Elizabeth A. Pham, 33. She was last seen in pajamas Saturday near Exit 59 of Interstate 5, staring into the Cowlitz River. Her family reported she might be suffering from postpartum depression, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
There is no evidence she went into the river, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
“At this time, we do not know what happened to Elizabeth,” said Chief Deputy Bruce Kimsey, in a statement Tuesday. “There are a lot of possibilities that need to be examined. Elizabeth may have gotten a ride out of the area, and be gone of her own volition, we just don’t know at this time.”
The swift-water team searched about 2 miles downriver to the Mandy Road overpass. Visibility in the area was very good and the river was shallow and slow-moving. The river is too shallow to go farther downriver, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
“We have assigned numerous detectives to the case and continue to work diligently investigating the disappearance of Elizabeth. We continue to follow up on tips our office is receiving,” Kimsey said. “Our hope is someone will see Elizabeth and call our office.”
Pham’s vehicle was found, unlocked with the keys inside, on southbound I-5 near milepost 59 in Toledo Saturday evening by the Washington State Patrol.
Investigators believe Pham left her vehicle Saturday morning and walked to Gee Cee’s Truck Stop, where she attempted to get a ride with a truck driver headed to Redding, California. An employee of the station stopped her and called a taxi for her, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Pham reportedly asked the taxi driver to take her to Olympia.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, the taxi stopped at Pham’s vehicle so she could get personal belongings. The driver reportedly said Pham seemed “unusual and confused.”
The driver dropped off Pham at a Shell station at Exit 59. She reportedly went into the station for about 20 minutes but didn’t buy anything. She then went to Mrs. Beesley’s Burgers and placed an order.
Later that day, a woman matching Pham’s description was seen sitting under an overpass at Exit 59, staring into the Cowlitz River.
A makeup bag identified as Pham’s was turned in Sunday to the Castle Rock Police Department after a fisherman located it downriver from where Pham was last seen near where the Toutle River pours into the Cowlitz. Detectives are trying to determine how the makeup bag got to that location, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
“Detectives will be obtaining and reviewing video surveillance from businesses near the areas she was reported to be and will be coordinating a search of the river and riverbanks as well,” Kimsey said in a statement. “Our detectives will continue to work diligently on this case.”
Pham was last seen wearing a pink and red top, purple pajama bottoms and socks. She is 5-foot-6 and weighs 122 pounds. She has blonde hair and blue eyes.
To provide information about Pham’s whereabouts, contact Detective Jeremy Almond at (360) 748-9286 or, if you want to remain anonymous, call Crimestoppers at 1-800-748-6422.
