Sounak Sengupta
Paramount+’s ‘Never Seen Again’ follows the disappearance of a 22-year-old single mother, Chelsea Cobo, in May 2016 in Brooklyn, New York. Her mother, Rose, had been determined to find her and had dedicated almost all her time to looking for her, apart from bringing up her grandchild. So, if you’re interested in learning more about the case and Chelsea, we’ve you covered.
What Happened to Chelsea Cobo?
Chelsea Michelle Cobo was born in Brooklyn, New York on November 8, 1993. In December 1994, the 13-month-old started living with her paternal aunt, Rose Cobo, after both of her parents began exhibiting signs of mental illness and were unable to provide for her. Rose adopted her when she was around 7 years old. Chelsea was 21 when she gave birth to a son, Christopher, on July 11, 2015.
However, the young mother started partying a lot around October 2016. As per Rose, Chelsea was probably suffering from post-partum depression. She went into a deep depression after hearing the news of the passing away of her biological mother on February 27, 2016. An alarmed Rose admitted her to Coney Island Hospital. Chelsea was released from the hospital in April 2016, and for about ten days, everything seemed normal.
On April 21, 2016, she went out to hang with friends at a location she had informed her family about. She didn’t return home for around five days until Rose threatened to file a missing case with the police. On April 24, Chelsea had taken a selfie, which Rose later minutely studied to find bruises on her right arm. A dismayed Rose learned from her daughter that she had been allegedly “drugged and robbed” the previous night and rushed her to the Maimonides Hospital, where the medics found Oxy in her system.
Chelsea was checked into the psych ward, where she stayed for a week before being released on May 3. The following day, she allegedly went to get her hair done and run a few errands but was badly stoned when her mother picked her up. Chelsea claimed she was high from the drugs she had been prescribed lately. Rose would later find that her daughter had lied and gone to meet some “Anthony” who used to visit her roommate, Sabrine, at the Coney Island Hospital.
Anthony dealt drugs and allegedly delivered some to Chelsea. On May 6, 2016, Rose took her daughter to Lutheran Hospital for detox. However, Chelsea disappeared from the hospital, and a concerned Rose managed to get hold of her at around 11:35 pm on May 7. She had a long talk with Chelsea, who claimed she was out with her boyfriend, later identified as Anthony, and would come home after having sushi and ice cream. That was the last time Rose talked with her daughter.
Rose received a voicemail from her supposed boyfriend that he had dropped Chelsea off a few blocks from her home. She filed a missing person report with the NYPD 66th Precinct later that night when her daughter did not return home. The police started investigating and found two surveillance footage of her — one on May 7, 2016, at around 1:40 am, when she was seen dropped off by a cab somewhere near the now defunct La Floridita Restaurant and Club.
The other video showed a woman, who appeared to be Chelsea as per the police, leaving a 51st Street apartment in Sunset Park that belonged to the family friend of the man she had been allegedly doing drugs with on the night of her disappearance. Although police believed that the woman shown in the footage is Chelsea, Rose refused to believe so. For the next few years, Chelsea’s case bounced between various departments of the NYPD, from Missing Persons to the Sex-Trafficking Department.
Chelsea Cobo Remains Missing With Her Fate Shrouded in Mystery
In January 2019, Rose, determined to put an end to the mystery, confronted the owner of the house where Chelsea had been allegedly doing drugs prior to her disappearance. He gave an alarming confession that Chelsea had allegedly died from an overdose, and his roommate had asked his help to dispose of the body, wrapped in a blanket. Rose said she provided a recording of the confession to the NYPD.
In March 2019, Rose learned that Chelsea’s case was being treated as a homicide case, and it was allegedly announced that the 66th Precinct would handle the case with help from the NYPD Homicide Squad. However, to date, Rose has no information on which department is handling Chelsea’s case or any other follow-ups regarding the investigation. Rose still hands out flyers and runs a Facebook memorial page in the hope of finding her daughter.
Roe has also enlisted the help of 2 private detectives, routinely calls the police, and regularly checks the escort listings. She is also reportedly working on an app that will help missing people find their way back home. She said, “Hey pumpkin, if you’re out there watching this, I love you, come home. I will never stop looking for you. That is why I’m creating this app, because when I die this will be my voice for you. To find you and the others that are out there. I love you.”
