Nathan Jonah Lerner, a 30-year-old man, was last seen in Carbonado, Washington, on January 6, 2021. Having been in Washington for only two weeks, he was staying with a family friend in Bonney Lake. On the day he went missing, Nathan left the residence in his vehicle without informing anyone of his destination. He had sought treatment at the MultiCare Auburn Medical Center's emergency room for a painful infection and had contacted his parents to inform them of his condition. The hospital administered a painkiller and discharged him. Shortly after his release, the hospital attempted to contact Nathan, urging him to return for admission after discovering some of his biometric results were dangerously abnormal, but he never returned and was not heard from again.
Two days later, on January 8, 2021, Nathan's vehicle was discovered abandoned approximately half a mile south of the Fairfax Bridge in Carbonado. The keys were reportedly still in the ignition. The discovery of his car prompted extensive searches of the area surrounding the bridge and the river below, but these efforts yielded no signs of Nathan. The situation was compounded by unusually heavy rains that month, which caused the river to run high and fast. Authorities have expressed the belief that he may have jumped from the bridge.
Nathan was described as a white male with brown hair, often worn long and in a bun, and blue eyes. He wore black, square-framed glasses. Distinctive features included a split thumbnail and numerous tattoos: a pulse symbol over his right breast, an Egyptian eye between his shoulder blades, long tribal signs down his rib cage, silhouettes of flying birds wrapping around his left arm, flowers and designs around his right wrist and forearm, and a Dave Matthews 'DANCING 8' on his upper arm. At the time of his disappearance, he was believed to be wearing blue suede-type sneakers and possibly woven bracelets. The investigation into his disappearance has highlighted his struggle with heroin addiction. His mother later filed a complaint against the hospital, leading to an investigation by the Washington Medical Commission which found 'cause for corrective action.' The hospital's chief medical officer subsequently met with Nathan's family and offered an apology. Despite the passage of time, Nathan's remains have not been found, and his case continues to be a source of unresolved grief for his family.
Last Seen: Jan 06, 2021
