Speculation Looms in Bridge Jumping Case

Incident reports from two police agencies regarding last week's Ravenel Bridge jumping incident name a MUSC pharmacy resident as the apparent victim, but Internet sites and social networking posts are fueling speculation about the fate of Olutosin "Tosin" Oyelowo.

Mount Pleasant police and Charleston police, the two agencies that responded first to the bridge around 3:30 p.m. Friday, list the 25-year-old woman as the apparent victim, but after a week of searching police have not located any remains.

Online concern centers around the belief that Oyelowo is missing and has perhaps met some harm at the hands of another individual. Some sites express concern for why the case hasn't been more well covered in the media.

"I am hoping we can use the social media to circulate this news and help bring her back home," wrote a concerned friend on BellaNaija.com. "We might not be powerful enough to have this on every TV news channel, but I believe we can use the power of the internet to bring Tosin back home."

Read previous stories regarding the bridge incident.

Hundreds of messages seeking media coverage of Oyelowo's disappearance have appeared on Twitter and a handful of pages on Facebook are dedicated to her safe return. Oyelowo was apparently born in Nigeria but her family resides in North Carolina.

On comment boards, there is apparent disbelief that a young woman headed into a promising pharmaceutical career could end her own life. Without official confirmation, the speculation nears a fever-pitch.

"I pray that God should bring Tosin back home safe and alive," wrote one person on Patch. "We (Nigerians) don't commit suicide, even when things are hard we keep going until it becomes better."

Charleston police, the primary agency investigating the incident, won't officially name Oyelowo as the victim until remains are recovered, according to spokesman Charles Francis.

"The coroner can’t positively identify the person who jumped off the bridge until the body is recovered," said Francis. "Charleston Police, North Charleston Police, Charleston County Sheriff’s Office, the Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Coast Guard are actively searching for the body."

Charleston police recovered the young woman's driver's license near where motorists and pedestrians reported seeing a woman jump off the bridge. Officers also recovered two "statements," according to the report. And officers located her red Toyota within walking distance of the incident scene.

The bridge and waterfront park are popular destinations for runners and bikers. On Friday, around the time of the reported jumping, the bridge and park were populated with dozens of people.

The Ravenel Bridge, a 2.5-mile-long, cable-stayed bridge, connects Mount Pleasant and Charleston. From its tallest point, it is a 180-foot drop to the Cooper River below.

Websites state that no one has heard from Oyelowo since Dec. 9, the day of the bridge-jumping incident, and officials at MUSC reported to police on Monday that Oyelowo did not report for work.

"We were concerned for her safety," said Heather Woolwine, university spokeswoman. "When we couldn't reach her, we contacted police, and now it's really more in their hands."