A lady who disappeared more than three decades ago and was declared legally useless, was discovered alive in a Puerto Rico nursing house, her household and police mentioned.
Patricia Kopta, from the US state of Pennsylvania, disappeared in 1992, and through the years, investigators had pursued leads in her disappearance, Ross Township Deputy Police Chief Brian Kohlhepp mentioned Friday.
Earlier than she went lacking from her house north of Pittsburgh, Kopta was identified to be an “eccentric” avenue preacher who glided by the identify “Sparrow,” the chief mentioned.
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Seven years after she disappeared, Kopta, who’s now 83, was taken as a “individual in want” to a nursing house after she had been discovered meandering by means of northern Puerto Rico, Kohlhepp advised reporters at a information convention Thursday.
She had stored particulars about her life secret, however because the years handed Kopta, who has dementia, started divulging info, Kohlhepp mentioned.
By final yr, Kopta had revealed sufficient info {that a} social employee on the nursing house contacted authorities in Pennsylvania about her identification. A DNA check confirmed it was the lacking girl, he mentioned.
“She was involved she was going to be institutionalized,” Kohlhepp mentioned Friday. “Which is what we consider led her to resolve to flee the nation.”
Earlier than her disappearance, Kopta was at a facility briefly after docs identified her with “delusions of grandeur” and mentioned she had indicators of schizophrenia. She was launched and stored preaching till she disappeared, her household mentioned.
In Puerto Rico, she wandered the island’s northern cities of Naranjito, Corozal and Toa Alta, positioned simply southwest of the capital of San Juan. When she was first taken to the grownup house, she had hinted that she had arrived in Puerto Rico by way of a cruise ship from Europe, Kohlhepp mentioned.
Bob Kopta, 86, of Pittsburgh, mentioned Friday that he had been married for 20 years when his spouse disappeared. He mentioned his household suspected she could be in Puerto Rico. Through the years, Bob mentioned he had positioned a newspaper commercial in Puerto Rico to attempt to discover her and had consulted with a psychic about her whereabouts.
Bob, a retired electrician, mentioned his spouse was declared useless about 25 years in the past.
“It is a reduction understanding that she’s not laying in a ditch someplace, or murdered someplace,” he mentioned, saying each time native police found a physique he frightened it was his spouse.
Patricia additionally had two sisters — a twin, who died six years in the past, and a youthful sister who was relieved to be taught she’s nonetheless alive, Bob mentioned.
He added that all through the many years, he is skilled a variety of feelings, however is content material understanding that Patricia is alive and underneath the care of execs.
“After 30 years, you attempt to overlook about it. Now I can overlook about it. We all know what occurred, and he or she is taken care of now,” he mentioned.
Patricia labored as an elevator operator at The Artwork Institute of Pittsburgh earlier than she disappeared, Bob mentioned.
She had been a straight-A pupil who turned a mannequin and dance teacher. After graduating highschool, she labored in finance at a Pittsburgh plate glass firm and would attend ballroom dancing occasions weekly, in keeping with her household.
Patricia’s youthful sister, Gloria Smith, now 78, advised The Related Press that her sister typically vacationed in Puerto Rico with buddies earlier than she obtained married. “She simply liked the ocean, the seaside, the nice and cozy sunshine.”
Smith mentioned she hopes to go to her sister, although she is in a declined psychological state.
“Whether or not she is aware of me or not, I nonetheless need to see her and provides her a hug and inform her I really like her,” Smith mentioned. “I believed possibly she had died.”
With The Related Press
