The search for Dane Elkins, a 21-year-old UC Santa Cruz student and champion racquetball player, continues.
According to KTLA, a car belonging to Elkins was found abandoned near the I-5 freeway and Templin Highway in the Castaic area on December 20. His wallet and cell phone were found inside.
Elkins’ mother, Brentwood resident Deborah Elkins, told KTLA that she thought the COVID-19 pandemic and stress from school was causing her son’s mental health to deteriorate.
“It’s every mom’s worst nightmare,” she told KTLA.
The mother told the Journal on Dec. 31 that according to their personal investigator, Elkins “is hiding because he is in a paranoid state” and that he was taking a break from his “hard classes in engineering at Santa Cruz so… he stayed with us for awhile at home” before he went missing. She added that the family has received “an outpouring of concern and everyone is out searching [for him].”
According to VC Reporter, Elkins’ family is urging anyone who sees him not to approach him out of concern that he could be easily spooked and flee. Instead, anyone who sees him should instead cautiously follow him and call the police. A Facebook group has been formed to help find Elkins.
This article was updated on December 31 and January 1.
