California college student vanishes as cell phone recovered at LAX, LAPD says
LOS ANGELES - The search for a missing college student has heightened after her cell phone was recently discovered at Los Angeles International Airport, police said.
Noelle Lynch, 23, a student at Sacramento State, left her parents' home in a "difficult state of mind," was in a car accident in Los Angeles and has not been seen or heard from since April 3. The Los Angeles Police Department said that she "may not be able to identify herself," in a press release from earlier this week.
Her father told SFGate that she left their family home on April 1, not knowing where she was going, "and the next thing we knew, she was in an accident in Los Angeles at 3 a.m. to 4 a.m. on Tuesday, April 2."
He said that his daughter's car was totaled in the car accident and that at least two vehicles were involved. Following the crash, his wife booked a hotel room for their daughter near LAX, where they planned to meet up, but she never showed up.
LAPD released this missing person flyer about Noelle Lynch and urged anyone with information to call (LAPD)
The following day, on April 3, Lynch called her mother from a "strange person’s phone" at noon, but she was "mostly not making sense," her dad told the outlet.
That was the last time her parents heard from her.
According to the LAPD, Lynch was last seen on surveillance video walking from an Inglewood apartment in the 900 block of East Redondo Boulevard, about six miles from LAX, around 5 p.m. on April 3.
Her parents found her belongings in the apartment and found her phone at the Southwest ticket counter at LAX airport, but it is unclear whether she boarded a plane, police said.
"She always calls," her dad told SFGate. "This is very out of character. She has had a tough time, but she has always called."
LAPD released this missing person flyer about Noelle Lynch and urged anyone with information to call (LAPD)
Lynch was last seen wearing a dark T-shirt, green sweatpants with a military logo, and white sneakers. She stands 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighs approximately 125 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes.
Family, friends and missing persons Facebook groups have been sharing her story and flyers with information, but concerns are intensifying as the search enters week two.
Anyone with information is urged to call the LAPD's Missing Persons Unit at 213-996-1800.
During non-business hours or on weekends, calls should be directed to 1-877-LAPD-24-7 (877-527-3247).
Anyone wishing to remain anonymous should call the LA Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (800-222-8477) or go directly to www.lacrimestoppers.org.
FNC contributed to this report.