The Journey to Find Catherine Mitchell

In 2016, Ross Carr contacted Paloma Investigative Services for help locating his missing adult daughter, Catherine Mitchell.

Ross explained that Catherine had disappeared 15 years earlier following a difficult divorce, leaving behind her two children. She had briefly moved in with him before leaving on her own. Since then, he had searched for her relentlessly. Her two, now adult children, have their own children and Ross wanted to tell Catherine she was also a grandmother.

Over the years, Ross heard rumors that Catherine may have been struggling with drug addiction and living either in Las Vegas, Nevada, or Los Angeles, California. His only wish was to see his daughter one more time before he died — to bring her home, give her shelter, and let her know she was loved. The only photo he had of Catherine was over 20 years old.

Investigators with Paloma Investigative Services eventually discovered that Catherine had recently been arrested in the Skid Row area by the by the Los Angeles Police Department and released. Investigators spent days searching the streets of Skid Row without success. Missing person flyers were posted throughout the area alongside countless others.

During the investigation, investigators entered a local liquor store and showed the clerk Catherine’s flyer. The clerk immediately recognized her as a frequent customer and agreed to contact us if Catherine returned.

The following day, Catherine called from the clerk’s phone. At first, she was hesitant to reconnect with her father, but eventually agreed to meet with investigators in Skid Row.

Ross and his son, Ross Jr., immediately flew into Los Angeles from their Nevada home and were met by our investigators at LAX. Together, we began searching Skid Row for Catherine. After several hours driving through the area, we finally spotted her walking along a sidewalk.

The video captures Ross’s emotional journey to reunite with his daughter after 15 years apart.

Although Catherine told Ross she did not want to return home — explaining that Skid Row had become her home and the homeless community had become her family — Ross was finally granted his wish: to see his daughter one last time.

Ross passed away in 2024. Catherine still lives on Skid Row today.

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