Spring Break Disappearances

Spring break is a time of partying and vacationing for older high school kids and college-age individuals. Parents worry about spring break because it has been given a reputation as a time of debauchery and lowered inhibitions for those involved, and with good reason. For most spring breakers the time passes relatively safely and they wander home from wherever they vacationed, nursing hangovers and regretting their behavior (or worse, bragging about it). However, some very unlucky spring breakers never make it home to rue or revere the day they went to spring break. Some meet with accidents that are drug, alcohol or stupidity induced. Some are murdered (it's appalling, but it does happen). And then there are those who appear to have vanished without leaving behind a single clue. It's a parent's worst nightmare and it happened to the following two Spring Breakers.

During spring break 2009, a 17-year-old girl named Brittanee Drexel made the decision to leave her home in Rochester, New York and go with some of her friends to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Brittanee's mother did not want her daughter to go, which is understandable considering the girl's age and the location which she had chosen to spend her Spring Break. However, Brittanee Drexel decided to go against her mother's wishes and on Saturday, April 25, she disappeared. She was last seen exiting the Blue Resort Hotel where her friend Peter Broswick was staying. The police have been searching for the young woman for nearly a year now and they have turned up very little in the way of leads. If you or anyone you know has any information regarding the whereabouts of Brittanee Drexel, please call the Myrtle Beach Police Department at 1-834-918-1300. Alternatively, you can leave a confidential tip at her family's website www.helpfindBrittaneeDrexel.com.

See a picture of the Brittanee Drexel here.

Brian Shaffer was a 27-year-old medical student at Ohio State University when he disappeared during spring break 2006. On April 1, Brian and his friends went out drinking near campus. They wound up in a bar called the Ugly Tuna Saloona. There were cameras at the entrance and exit of the bar, but oddly, Brian was only seen entering; he was never seen leaving. Police estimate that he disappeared between 1:30 and 2 a.m. All of his belongings were still in his apartment with his car parked nearby. The credit cards that he had on his person and his cell phone have not been seen or used since that night. There is no evidence that he would have just run off and his loved ones didn't seem to think it likely that he would have committed suicide. If you have any information regarding the whereabouts of Brian Shaffer, please contact the Columbus Police Department at 1-877-645-8477.

See a picture of Brian Shaffer here.

At this point, it is impossible to know the fate of these two spring breakers. We can only hope that they will be returned to their families someday. However, we can do our best to protect those who go out on spring break in the future. It is important to teach your children about spring break safety, no matter how old or responsible they are. It is a good idea for them to be aware of the danger of large crowds and how easy it is to just vanish in them. It is also important to remember that criminals know this. spring breakers are easy targets for them. Preparing a spring breakers may just help get them home safely.