Disappearance of Hannah Upp
The case of Hannah Upp is a truly perplexing one, baffling investigators and captivating the public as she vanished not once, but three separate times over the course of a decade. Dubbed "the woman who went missing three times," her story shines a light on the mysterious intersection of identity, memory, and a rare medical condition. Join us as we unravel the unsettling disappearances of Hannah Upp and the puzzling disorder at their core. Hannah Upp's disappearances are linked to dissociative fugue, a rare psychiatric condition causing temporary amnesia and unexpected travel. During her episodes, Upp was often found in precarious situations, showing no recognition of her identity or the search for her. Her third and final disappearance occurred amidst hurricane conditions in the U.S. Virgin Islands, adding an element of environmental challenge to an already baffling case.
AI Summary
The case of Hannah Upp is a truly perplexing one, baffling investigators and captivating the public as she vanished not once, but three separate times over the course of a decade. Dubbed "the woman who went missing three times," her story shines a light on the mysterious intersection of identity, memory, and a rare medical condition. Join us as we unravel the unsettling disappearances of Hannah Upp and the puzzling disorder at their core.
- Hannah Upp's disappearances are linked to dissociative fugue, a rare psychiatric condition causing temporary amnesia and unexpected travel.
- During her episodes, Upp was often found in precarious situations, showing no recognition of her identity or the search for her.
- Her third and final disappearance occurred amidst hurricane conditions in the U.S. Virgin Islands, adding an element of environmental challenge to an already baffling case.
The Woman Who Vanished Thrice
Hannah Upp's story began to make headlines as an enigma—a young woman who repeatedly disappeared without a trace. Her case is unusual not only for the multiple vanishings but also for the specific, rare medical condition believed to be behind them. It's a journey into the mysteries of the human mind and the fragility of personal identity.
Understanding Dissociative Fugue
Central to Hannah's story is a diagnosis of dissociative fugue, sometimes called psychogenic fugue. This isn't just everyday forgetfulness; it's a profound psychiatric condition where an individual experiences complete, reversible amnesia about their personal identity. Imagine waking up one day and having no idea who you are or what your life has been.
Often, dissociative fugue is triggered by severe stress or trauma. Individuals in a fugue state might suddenly and unexpectedly travel far from home, sometimes assuming a new identity or creating a new life for themselves. When they eventually snap out of it, they have no memory of the fugue period—it's as if that time simply didn't exist.
The First Disappearance: New York, 2008
Hannah Upp was 23 years old when she vanished for the first time in August 2008. She was last seen leaving her apartment for a jog in New York City, just as she was about to start a new teaching job in Harlem. Her keys, wallet, and ID were all left behind, indicating she didn't plan to be gone for long.
For nearly three weeks, Hannah was missing. During this time, she was reportedly sighted in various locations, from an Apple Store in Midtown Manhattan where she accessed her email, to local gyms. Yet, those who encountered her noted a distinct lack of recognition—she seemed unaware of herself, or the frantic search underway for her.
The search culminated dramatically on September 16, 2008, when a Staten Island Ferry crew discovered her. She was found face-down in the waters, barely alive. After being rescued and hospitalized, she was treated for severe dehydration and hypothermia, confirming the harsh conditions she had endured.
It was following this harrowing experience that doctors diagnosed her with dissociative fugue. This diagnosis provided the first — and perhaps only — explanation for her strange behavior and her inability to recall the 19 days she had been missing.
The Second Disappearance: Maryland, 2013
Five years later, in September 2013, Hannah, now 28, vanished again. She was working as an assistant teacher at a Montessori school in Maryland when she was reported missing from her job. This time, her wallet and phone were found on a nearby footpath, once more suggesting an unplanned departure.
Thankfully, her second disappearance was much shorter. Just two days later, Hannah was found in the Wheaton-Glenmont area of Maryland. She had borrowed a stranger's phone and called her mother, but when police arrived, she again couldn't remember where she was or how she had gotten there. The pattern of memory loss was disturbingly familiar.
The Third Disappearance: U.S. Virgin Islands, 2017
In 2017, Hannah had moved to the U.S. Virgin Island of Saint Thomas, embracing a new teaching position. The timing was precarious: the island had just been battered by Hurricane Irma and was bracing for the arrival of Hurricane Maria. It was into this tumultuous backdrop that Hannah vanished for the third time.
On September 14, 2017, she was last seen leaving her home around 8 a.m., reportedly heading for a swim at Sapphire Beach. When she missed a scheduled school meeting, concerns quickly mounted. Her car was soon located near the beach, with all her personal belongings—wallet, phone, passport—left untouched inside.
The unfolding hurricane conditions severely hampered initial search efforts, making an already desperate situation even more dire. Despite extensive searches by local authorities, family, and friends in the weeks that followed, Hannah Upp was never found. As of today, she remains missing.
An Unresolved Enigma
The case of Hannah Upp remains a poignant and baffling unsolved mystery. Her three disappearances, each marked by the characteristic amnesia of dissociative fugue, highlight the profound and often terrifying ways that the human mind can lose its grasp on reality and identity. Her story continues to serve as a stark reminder of the complexities of mental health and the devastating impact of the unknown.
Article
Disappearance of Hannah Upp
The disappearance of Hannah Upp is an unsolved missing person case. Upp is commonly referred to as "the woman who went missing three times" by the media. Upp first disappeared in August 2008 in New York and was found in September 2008 in a river, again in September 2013 in Maryland, and went missing a third and final time in 2017 in Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. Upp suffered from dissociative fugue, a rare psychiatric condition characterized by reversible amnesia regarding one's identity, often accompanied by unexpected travel or wandering. In some cases, individuals may assume a new identity and be unable to recall personal information from before the onset of symptoms.
Disappearances
First disappearance in 2008
The first disappearance occurred on August 28, 2008. Then 23-year-old Hannah Upp was last seen leaving her apartment to go for a jog. She had recently begun a new job as a teacher at Thurgood Marshall Academy in Harlem. Upp missed her first day of work and was later reported missing. Upp's keys, wallet, ID and other belongings were left behind. For 19–20 days she was missing. During that time, she was spotted in several places such as an Apple Store in Midtown Manhattan where she logged into her email, and at gyms, but she didn't seem to recognize who she was or why people were searching for her.
On September 16, 2008, the crew of a Staten Island Ferry discovered Upp lying face-down in the water. She was rescued alive and was taken to the hospital where she was treated for dehydration and hypothermia.
After her discovery, she was diagnosed with dissociative fugue, a rare form of amnesia where a person temporarily loses their knowledge of their identity, and may travel or act without memory of who they are.
Second disappearance in 2013
In 2013, then 28-year-old Hannah Upp was working as an assistant teacher at a Montessori school in Maryland. On September 3, 2013, Upp was reported missing from her job. Her wallet and phone had been found on a footpath. On September 5, 2013, Upp was found in the Wheaton-Glenmont, Maryland area after borrowing a stranger's phone and calling her mother. Upp told police she did not remember where she was or how she had gotten there.
Third and final disappearance in 2017
In 2017, Hannah Upp relocated to the U.S. Virgin Island of Saint Thomas, taking a new teaching position. In September 2017, Saint Thomas was struck by Hurricane Irma and was preparing for Hurricane Maria. On September 14, 2017, Upp was last seen leaving her home around 8 a.m., reportedly planning to go swimming at Sapphire Beach. Upp missed a scheduled school meeting and was reported missing. Her car was found parked near the beach, with her belongings untouched, including her wallet, phone, passport and other personal items.
Initial searches were hampered by the approaching hurricane conditions. Extended search efforts by local authorities, family and friends took place in the following weeks. As of 2017, Hannah Upp is still missing.