A California teen is still missing nearly two weeks after she reportedly left home to meet people she knew online.
According to KGO, Katie Hong, 16, was last seen leaving her Fremont home on July 25. Surveillance footage reportedly captured her walking from her home to Irvington Community Park, and police Lieutenant Calvin Tang stated she was possibly carrying a computer monitor.
Tang mentioned that Hong left a note suggesting she was meeting people she knew online. He also noted that Hong frequently used Discord, a social media platform popular among gamers, as per KGO.
According to KRON, since her disappearance, Hong has been inactive on her known social media accounts, which means the police have been unable to track her whereabouts. Her phone last pinged at the community park, where it was subsequently recovered.
Fremont police stated they believe Hong is voluntarily missing, although she is considered at risk given the circumstances of her disappearance. KRON reported that surveillance footage showed her leaving home three hours before police were informed.
“We feel absolutely helpless, and I think because of that we feel hopeless,” Hong’s uncle told KGO.
Hong’s parents are reportedly deaf. They have hired private investigators to assist with the ongoing search.
Hong was described as 5 feet tall, weighing 100 pounds, with brown eyes, dark brown hair, and braces. She was last seen dressed in a large, red Patagonia backpack, a navy-blue mid zip-up jacket, and grey sweatpants.
Anyone with information regarding Hong’s whereabouts should call Fremont police’s Investigations Unit at 510-790-6900.
[Feature Photo: Fremont police]
