According to the Missing Americans Project, a nonprofit organization helping to track Americans and other nationals who vanish in Costa Rica and elsewhere, disappearances of foreigners are under-reported and not closely monitored by any organization. “Families of people who go missing outside their country’s borders frequently find themselves alone and struggling”, according to the organization’s director. This is the recent situation with Canadian native Jaclyn Smith-Farland, a 40-year old ex-military officer who disappeared from Playas del Coco on August 17th, and has not been seen since. Police say she was “swallowed up by the earth.”
Jaclyn apparently suffered from schizophrenia with paranoia, according to her husband Sebastien Farland. The night of her disappearance, she had received an acupuncture treatment that had injured her. She blamed her husband; they had angry words, and while he was in the shower Jaclyn hit him in the face and hurled a roll of toilet paper at him. She then took her purse, wallet and passport and left their home on foot, leaving her wedding ring and cellphone. No one has heard from her since, and she has not used her credit cards nor her passport. No taxis report having driven her. She has vanished completely. Her family has not given up hope that she will be found.

More recently, a 23-year old young man vanished in Tamarindo, and his mother has come to Costa Rica to hunt for him. This situation is always compounded by language barriers and legal restrictions regarding when a person can be considered missing in a foreign country. The first thing to do for an American in this situation, is to contact the US Embassy immediately if you suspect your loved one is missing. They will check hospitals and prisons, and see if there is a record of an arrest or an exit stamp on their passport.

Smith-Ferland’s family has created a Facebook page asking for help finding her. They have also offered a reward of 5,000,000c for information leading to her discovery. Although such a reward often attracts scam artists, it has also been known to yield information that can be used by the Organizmo de Investigacion Judicial (OIJ) to locate missing people. At various times the OIJ has partnered with the US FBI to help find missing Americans, and have had success.

It should be kept in mind that people also disappear voluntarily in Costa Rica, escaping ex-spouses, debt collectors, back taxes, child support payments, and criminal convictions. Tribes of European anti-vaxxers have hidden away in Costa Rica, as well as members of religious cults who have retreated from conventional society. We are the land of both the Wanted and the Unwanted.
Recent disappearances in Costa Rica include the sad case of Albert Lusk, who went out with his dog for their usual hike, and only the dog returned. William Sean Creighton (5Dimes) was gone for one year before his body was found in an unmarked grave in Quepos. Tandra Thornbeck was found dead in an unexplained place, with no clues as to why she was there, nor how she died. Cody Dial was found dead by indigenous tribesmen in Corcovado Park, after National Geographic had made a movie about his disappearance.

Others, like British journalist Michael Dixon, whose parents continue to search for him in Costa Rica despite his trail having gone cold, have never been found. The parents of vanished student David Gimelfarb also continue to search for him. Canadian Ryan Piercy vanished for one month before being released by his captors, ransom money amount paid — never disclosed.
What can foreigners do to avoid similar disappearances? Firstly, register with your Embassy with your itinerary and contact information to make finding you easier if, God forbid, you vanish. Secondly, never go into National Parks without registering, and perhaps hiring a local guide. Thirdly, use the buddy system when traveling. Fourthly, avoid beaches with strong undercurrents to avoid drowning – the way most foreigners disappear in Costa Rica. Fifth, avoid bar-hopping and partying with people you don’t know. Avoid travel at night. Women especially have run into trouble after a spiked drink bought by a handsome Tico. Luckily, Costa Rica is not known for frequent kidnap-for-ransom cases, unlike other Central and South American countries.

The case of missing Jaclyn Smith-Ferland evolved concurrently with the far-more publicized case of missing American Gabby Petito of Florida. Gabby and her boyfriend were traveling cross-country in a van, but only the boyfriend returned home. Sadly, her human remains were discovered on Sunday.

Everyone hopes that Smith-Ferland will be found safe and sound, and we hope to not lose any more foreigners in Costa Rica to mysterious causes

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