The woman who reported to police that she saw Sherri Papini waving down drivers on a rural highway is speaking out about the moment she encountered the California mom.
During an interview with Inside Edition, Alison Sutton recalled driving on I-5 around 4 a.m. on Thanksgiving Day 2016 when she came upon Papini, who had been missing for several weeks.
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“She seemed frantic and desperate,” Sutton said. “The thing that has haunted me the most about this was the look in her eyes.”
Sutton returned to the scene with the publication for the first time since she saw Papini. She explained the emotions that came rushing forth upon going back to the desolate stretch of highway.
“At night it’s dark out here; it is black. There are no lights out here,” she said. “She was out in the cold in a T-shirt and I remember thinking, ‘She’s got to be freezing because it was cold.”
When Papini was found, she had been battered and her long blonde locks had been cut. Also upon her discovery, Papini only weighed about 85 pounds.
More: Newly Released 911 Call Reveals Sherri Papini’s Husband’s Reaction
Papini told the investigators that she had been abducted by two mysterious women as she was jogging near her Redding, California home. She also said that the abductors were Hispanic and spoke in Spanish the majority of the time.
The highly publicized investigation into Papini’s disappearance had drawn skepticism from some, however, Sutton feels that it was not a hoax.
Sutton explained how she feels horrible about not stopping to comfort Papini. Instead, she continued driving and called the police on her cell phone.
“I would like to hug and tell her that I’m sorry,” Sutton said.
In the last few weeks, there have been a number of new details to surface regarding the investigation. Most recently, the authorities announced that there was male DNA found on Papini’s clothing, even though she reported to have been taken by two women. Learn more here.
