The adoptive parents of Erica Lynn Parsons say they are heading to Louisiana in hopes of getting answers to the missing teen’s whereabouts.
Casey and Sandy Parsons have told other media outlets they are traveling to New Orleans where Erica’s biological mother, Carolyn Parsons, lives. They say Carolyn is the key to Erica’s disappearance.
Erica, 15, has been missing since November 2011, but authorities said she wasn’t reported missing until her adoptive brother, James Parsons spoke with them July 30.
Casey and Sandy have not responded to repeated requests by the Post for an interview. Their attorney, Carlyle Sherrill, said Tuesday he didn’t know anything about the couple traveling to New Orleans.
Carolyn Parsons said she doesn’t know why the couple would travel to Louisiana.
“She has had no contact with me. I didn’t know anything about it,” Carolyn said.
Carolyn said she was told Casey was traveling to Louisiana to see her, not to find Erica.
“I think it’s sad and pathetic. You’re running in the opposite direction,” Carolyn said.
She feels as though Casey and Sandy should be looking in Asheville not New Orleans, but said they were more than welcome to travel there. The Parsonses have said since Erica was reported missing that they let her go to Asheville to live with a woman they knew as her paternal grandmother, Irene “Nan” Goodman. Authorities say that woman apparently doesn’t exist.
Carolyn said she learned of the Parsonses travel plans from news media who informed her Tuesday morning.
“I think she, as well as her husband are psychos, nuts, liars. They are the only two people who know where this kid is,” Carolyn said.
Carolyn said the last time she saw Erica was July 2011 and everything else the Parsonses have said has been “made up.”
Carolyn left North Carolina a few weeks ago after spending more than a month in Rowan County. Casey told WBTV reporter Coleen Harry she spoke with Carolyn several times prior to the biological mother arriving in North Carolina.
Carolyn told a Post reporter on Tuesday she has not spoken with Casey since July 30. During her time in Rowan County, Carolyn said, all she heard were lies from Casey.
Casey has said she met Irene Goodman through Carolyn Parsons. The Parsonses said they met Goodman at a Mooresville McDonald’s and left Erica in her care.
Carolyn denies she introduced Casey and Sandy to Irene Goodman and in fact said Goodman does not exist.
“I don’t know Nan or Irene,” Carolyn said.
Carolyn said her mother died in 1996 of a heart attack and her adopted parents didn’t know Erica.
She said Casey made no effort to contact her or Carolyn’s oldest daughter, Brittany, to find out if Irene Goodman was who she said she was.
“Be a grown up and say I made a mistake,” Carolyn said of Casey.
Carolyn said she’s had a hard time garnering support in her quest to find Erica because the case has no ties to Louisiana.
Carolyn said she doesn’t doubt anything when it comes to Casey and Sandy.
“After seeing what Casey tried to do with someone else’s baby. I don’t put anything past them, beyond them. I don’t know what they’ve done with her,” she said of Erica.
Carolyn said she hopes that if Erica is reading the newspapers or hearing the news reports, that she knows she is loved.
“I want you returned safe, unharmed and OK. Don’t be afraid to reach out. I promise you, you will not be hurt anymore,” Carolyn said speaking to Erica.
Carolyn has no immediate plans to return to North Carolina, but said if Casey and Sandy were ever charged in Erica’s disappearance, she’d return. Casey and Sandy have not been charged by law enforcement.
Anyone with information that could help law enforcement locate Erica Parsons, contact investigators at the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office at 704-216-8668.
Contact reporter Shavonne Potts at 704-797-4253. Twitter: www.twitter.com/salpostpotts Facebook: www.facebook.com/Shavonne.SalisburyPost.