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After being removed from the list in 2004, Sneha Anne Philip’s name was added to the list of 9/11 victims in 2008, and her name was inscribed on the 9/11 Memorial.
Sneha Anne Philip was last seen on September 10, 2001. (Photo Credits: Instagram)
The deadly 9/11 terrorist attack jolted the United States. A group of terrorists from the pan-Islamist militant organisation al-Qaeda hijacked commercial flights and crashed them into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Centre in New York City and the Pentagon, headquarters of the US Department of Defence, killing thousands of innocent civilians. While it was one of the biggest tragedies in the world, another case that unfolded on the very same day was that of the mysterious disappearance of Dr Sneha Anne Philip.
A 31-year-old Indian-American doctor, Sneha, used to live in Battery Park City, just less than half a mile from the Twin Towers, with her husband, Dr. Ron Lieberman. On September 10, 2001, she spent the day just like any other, repotting some orchids, chatting with her mother online and then she went shopping nearby. As captured by the CCTV camera of the nearby Century 21 store on the fateful evening, she purchased clothes, shoes, and bed linens. And that was the last time anyone would see her, according to official records.
Sneha Philip Didn’t Return Home That Night
On the morning of September 11, 2001, Sneha’s husband, Ron, left for work early and did not see her at home. However, this was not unusual, as she often spent nights out without informing him. However, when the news broke that planes had crashed into the World Trade Centre, which was just two blocks from their home, he frantically started calling friends and family to check if they had heard from Sneha. No one had, and she never came home.
Sneha Philip’s Family Believe She Died Helping The Victims Of The Attack
Since her mysterious disappearance, numerous theories have emerged. At first, she was presumed to be one of the thousands killed in the attack. Her family believed that Sneha, being the kind and compassionate person she was, might have rushed to Ground Zero to use her medical training and help those in need, only to be killed when the towers collapsed. They found peace in this version of events, as reported by New York Magazine.
The Police Suggested That Sneha Philip Had Difficulties In Her Personal And Professional Life
But authorities were not convinced. They had uncovered some evidence of difficulties in Sneha’s personal and professional life. She did not renew her intern contract at Cabrini Medical Centre because of “alcohol-related issues” and was suspended from her new job at Staten Island’s St. Vincent’s Medical Centre for missing her meetings with a substance-abuse counsellor. Court records also mentioned marital tensions, linking them to the fact that Sneha would often stay outdoors at night without informing Ron.
Reportedly, she even went home with women she would meet in lesbian bars. Her brother John had claimed that he walked in on Sneha a month before her disappearance, when she was physically intimate with another woman, a police record stated. Besides this, she was also facing legal difficulties and had even spent a night in jail for filing a false complaint against a colleague, whom she accused of groping her. On the morning of her disappearance, she had appeared in court to plead not guilty.
Sneha Philip’s Date Of Death Was Changed
Based on these, the police raised other possibilities. Perhaps she ran away from her difficult life in the chaos of 9/11 or met with foul play on a night out. In 2004, based on the police findings, a Surrogate court judge removed Sneha Philip from the 9/11 victims list, citing her “personal and professional problems” as the reason and the lack of evidence proving her whereabouts on September 11. The following year, a Manhattan judge ruled that Sneha Philip died on September 10, 2004, as the law states, three years to the day after her “unexplained absence commenced”.
Sneha Philip’s Name Was Reinstated In The 9/11 Victim List
Her family strongly pushed back. They rejected claims of alcohol abuse, denied marital troubles and accused the authorities of twisting the truth. In 2008, after years of legal battles, an appeals court reversed the Surrogate Court’s decision. Her name was reinstated as the 2,751st victim of 9/11, finally giving her family a place to grieve and honour her memory. To date, the mystery of her disappearance remains unsolved. Her body was never recovered, and her belongings, including her passport and credit cards, were left behind, suggesting she had no plans to leave. There is no evidence of murder either.
A team of writers at News18.com bring you stories on what’s creating the buzz on the Internet while exploring science, cricket, tech, gender, Bollywood, and culture.
A team of writers at News18.com bring you stories on what’s creating the buzz on the Internet while exploring science, cricket, tech, gender, Bollywood, and culture.
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