he Strange Case Of Elisa Lam

A recent, and pretty frightening mystery. In February 2013, a 21-year-old student named Elisa Lam was found floating in a water supply tank on the roof of the Cecil Hotel in Los Angeles. She had previously been reported missing. Her body was discovered by a maintenance worker after guests had complained that the water “tasted funny”; a grim thought indeed. However, there were no signs of visible trauma on the body and drug tests came back clear; ruling the death as accidental drowning.

What makes this case so eerily disturbing is the surveillance tap police put online, possibly showing some of Lam’s final moments. Is her behaviour erratic that of a schizophrenic? She did have a history of bipolar disorder. Maybe someone outside the elevator?

Then there’s the fact access to the roof was barricaded completely, protected by an alarm. The water tank lids are so heavy to access that workers had to cut them open to remove her body; so how then, exactly, did Lam get in the tank and replace the lid behind her?

You really have to see the video for yourself to understand why it’s spooked the world, and left some nagging questions. Bear in mind, no drugs or alcohol were found in her system.