10 weeks and counting: Candice Caffas remains missing

Sep. 24—It's a sound Carol Caffas still clearly recalls hearing in her home as her special needs daughter remains missing to this day.

As of this morning, it's been 10 weeks since her daughter, Candice, disappeared from the family's small Union Township home in the 9100 block of Mount Pleasant Road, about 4 miles south of Meadville.

"It was 3:07 a.m. (on July 16). I heard something and she wasn't in bed," Carol Caffas said of Candice.

Candice, 35, who has Prader Willi syndrome, went out of the home's bathroom window, Carol Caffas said.

"The noise I heard was either the (window) screen or her hitting (the ground) as it's a 5-foot drop," she said. "She had locked the bathroom door behind her and had locked the key in the bathroom."

Carol Caffas and her husband, John, got the bathroom door open and discovered the screen over the room's small window missing. Carol Caffas said there was a chair next to the window her daughter used to climb up to the window.

There were large-scale, coordinated searches for Candice organized by Pennsylvania State Police in the days following her disappearance. However, those searches were scaled back after July 23 when police said all credible leads had been exhausted.

State police are keeping the case open and active with all credible information followed up on, Trooper Cindy Schick, community services officer with the Meadville barracks, said. However, there has been no new information or leads, Schick said in an email.

A genetic disorder, Prader Willi syndrome often results in multiple issues — for the person and their family.

"With Prader Willi syndrome — the person is always hungry, always looking for food. They have low muscle tone, they're usually short, small hands and feet," she said. "There are behavior problems. Running away is a real common thing."

Carol Caffas said everything her house is locked due to the potential run-away issue with Candice.

"There are window alarms on bedroom and kitchen windows, but the bathroom window is little and high up," she said. "I never thought about that."

Candice, who turned 35 on July 23, had not run away from the home for almost 20 years until mid-July, Carol Caffas said

Candice ran away twice — on July 12, a Tuesday, and then early on July 16, a Saturday, when she disappeared, Carol Caffas said.

"She hadn't taken off (before then) since she was 15 or 16," Carol Caffas said.

Candice was able to leave around 6 a.m. July 12 when Carol Caffas briefly was dressing. Candice normally would lie on the living room couch and could be seen while dressing, Carol Caffas said. On July 12, however, Candice made the blankets look like she was still on the couch when her mom looked to check on her after she briefly closed a door to dress.

"We found her swimming in French Creek down by Ernst Farm about 8 a.m. (July 12)," Carol Caffas said. "That Tuesday all she would tell us was, 'I was just going to head to Meadville.'"

"Sometimes they just take off — we don't know why, we don't know why," Carol Caffas said softly.

"Twice in one week was unheard of and she's never left in the middle of the night — never," her voice dropping.

A Caffas family-organized search is to take place this morning.

Carol Caffas said the family appreciates the efforts of police, as well as the help of many friends and volunteers who are willing keep searching.

"I just don't know what to do," she said.

Candice Caffas is 4 feet, 9 inches tall and about 95 pounds with dirty-blond hair and green eyes, police said. She was last known to be wearing a purple T-shirt, orange shorts with a white floral pattern, purple-and-blue sneakers and glasses.

State police stress that anyone with information on Caffas' whereabouts should contact the barracks immediately at (814) 332-6911 should Caffas be within the person's line of sight.

Keith Gushard can be reached at (814) 724-6370 or by email at kgushard@meadvilletribune.com.