14 DAY TRIAL // Police in Toronto have managed to put a name to the face of the elusive “mystery woman Linda.” Linda Hegg from Delaware has only been known to Canadian media outlets until now as an amnesiac who wandered into a shelter in the city.
She apparently approached workers at a shelter in September, telling them she had no memories of who she was and where she came from. As it happens, she had no form of identification on her either.
In her tote bag, she only had $20 (€15) in cash. Linda remembered only an image of Halifax, CBC Canada reported at the time.
One month later, in October, she was admitted to the Toronto East General Hospital, for severe depression associated with mental illness.
As the case grabbed headlines, many believed they recognized their missing family members in Linda, and came to visit, only to be disappointed.
Global Toronto informs that, last month, police received a tip leading to a woman from Delaware, declared missing by her mother Martha Wilson, of Indiana.
She told authorities that her daughter vanished from an assisted living facility in Delaware, and that she suffered from schizophrenia.
She feared she might not find her again, as the last time they spoke, in August, she had told her that she felt very depressed. She even contemplated suicide, which is why Mrs. Wilson called the police and asked them to break down her door, fearing she went through with the desperate gesture.
As she saw her picture, she knew it was Linda right away. DNA testing has been performed to confirm her identity; however, Linda's mother tells reporters she needs no further certification.
On Tuesday, December 18, police in Toronto held a news conference to announce they have solved the mystery of the amnesiac woman.