$162 million Mega Millions lottery ticket reported lost

Lansing State Journal ^ | 1/06/04 | Joe Milicia

[Dane]

$162 million Mega Millions lottery ticket reported lost Ohio woman files report with police over unclaimed prize

By Joe Milicia
Associated Press

CLEVELAND - A woman has told police she picked the winning numbers for the $162 million Mega Millions lottery jackpot but lost the ticket before the drawing, according to a police report.

Elecia Battle of Cleveland told police she dropped her purse as she left the Quick Shop Food Mart last week after buying the ticket. She said she realized after the drawing last Tuesday that the ticket was missing.

The Ohio Lottery said that the winning ticket was sold at the store in South Euclid, about 15 miles east of Cleveland.

Battle, 40, would not talk about the specifics of how she lost it. She planned a news conference today to announce a reward.

"I'm praying that someone finds the ticket, brings it forward and gets rewarded and from there we all live happily ever after," said Battle, who cried as she talked.

She and her husband have seven children, some from previous marriages.

"To have something in your hand and have it slip out is a tough thing to swallow," said Jimmy Battle, who has two jobs.

After news of Battle's police report spread Monday night, several people wielding flashlights walked through snow and braved frigid temperatures to try to find the ticket in the store parking lot.

"I decided to come back to see if I could find the winning ticket," said LaVerne Coleman, 57, who says she would keep the winnings if she found the ticket.

Police say Battle was in tears when she came to the station Friday to file the report and did not hesitate when asked to write down the winning numbers.

"We don't believe that she's fabricating it, but there's no real way of knowing," Lt. Kevin Nieter said Monday.

He said information Battle knew about when the ticket was bought and how the numbers were picked make her story credible. She told police that the numbers - 12, 18, 21, 32 and 46 and Mega Ball 49 - represented family birthdays and ages.

The winning ticket was sold to someone who chose the numbers, not someone who let the machine pick.

Ohio Lottery spokeswoman Mardele Cohen said that if someone else came in with the ticket, Battle could try to get a temporary restraining order in court to block the winnings from being paid.

[Dane]

Woh Nellie, this should be a barnburner.

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[fuquadukie]

Finders, Keepers. Losers, Weepers.

[leadpenny]

Elecia, this is fate's way of telling you not to gamble.

[GeronL]

losers weepers... wow... lots of weeping... finders winners... but its probably in the trash..

[beaversmom]

"I decided to come back to see if I could find the winning ticket," said LaVerne Coleman, 57, who says she would keep the winnings if she found the ticket</I.

What a sweet woman (sarcasm)! I feel sorry for the woman that lost the ticket. This is something like I would do. I'm always misplacing/losing things--usually in my house which is a disaster. With my luck, my toddler would find it and put it through the paper shredder.

[beaversmom]

oops italics off

[metalboy]

She planned a news conference today to announce a reward

Uhhh...Yeah, OK. Let`s see...In my hand is a ticket for close to a quarter billion dollars..hmmmm

[InvisibleChurch]

so did she memorize the numbers before she left the store? she didn't check her purse for the tic after she dropped it?

the story smells kind of fishee here

[Physicist]

If you fumble the ball through the endzone, it's a touchback (i.e., you lose the ball by rule). You can only keep it if you recover it yourself before it's gone.

[laker_dad]

If she didn't sign the back of the ticket, wouldn't it be fair game to the finder?

[woofer]

Ohio Lottery spokeswoman Mardele Cohen said that if someone else came in with the ticket, Battle could try to get a temporary restraining order in court to block the winnings from being paid.

Rots of Ruck with that! Payout is to the person holding the (signed) ticket.

[smiley]

yep, I agree with you...a "scam" that hasn't been duplicated......yet.....

[TheBattman]

Elecia Battle of Cleveland told police she dropped her purse as she left the Quick Shop Food Mart last week after buying the ticket. She said she realized after the drawing last Tuesday that the ticket was missing.

Yep, and she has a bridge to sell us too....

She planned a news conference today to announce a reward.

"I'm praying that someone finds the ticket, brings it forward and gets rewarded and from there we all live happily ever after," said Battle, who cried as she talked.

This woman is truly nieve - sure there is a reward for bringing the ticket forward...the whole jackpot. How can she or anyone else proove that she is the one who bought the winning ticket?

If no-one could tell, I have no sympathy for this woman.

[You Dirty Rats]

No Tickee, no laundry

[Gaetano]

She forgot to mention that it was Ernest Byner who dropped (fumbled) her purse in the parking lot. Expect John Elway to turn up with the ticket. The Cleveland curse continues.

[theDentist]

That's going to be the cleanest parking lot in America!

[smith288]

No offense to this lady but how would we know she was the ticket purchaser? Even if I found the thing I dont know if I would just take her word. This is a serious case of finder keepers if you ask me. Heck, I should have a press conference and just say I was in the area and bought that ticket but the wind blew it out of my hand after leaving the store.

I would say I will offer a 100,000 reward if they give me the ticket (has to be someone stupid enough to do that) and then I would be bathing in dolla billz, y'all)

[1rudeboy]

If her claim is true, then legally the ticket is her property, which is considered "lost," and not "abandoned." Her central problem is proving that the specific ticket belongs to her. If she cannot, then the ticket is fair game.

[Dane]

If she didn't sign the back of the ticket, wouldn't it be fair game to the finder?

Yep, she's outta luck.