Police continue to look for a missing Georgia mom who vanished from the Savannah area on Friday.
Melanie Steele, 24, was last seen in the 10600 block of Abercorn Street in Savannah on September 13, according to the Savannah Police Department.
“Its been over 24 hours,” Julia Johnson, Melanie’s mother, posted on Facebook this weekend. “Her car has been recovered! No word from her. No activity on Facebook.”
Johnson is reminding us, telling the importance of the hours that are ticking by. We know all too well the first three hours are critical during a missing person case. It’s now been three days since Melanie Rae Steele disappeared.
Melanie is described as a white female who stands 5-feet-7-inches tall, weighs around 150 pounds, and has long red curly hair. The last clothing worn before she disappeared is currently unknown.
Authorities found Melanie’s vehicle “on the other side of town” from a Motel 6 room she was staying in with her husband. Johnson said the motel is located off of Stephenson Street in Midtown Savannah.
Posted by Julia Tinker Johnson on Sunday, September 15, 2019
“Please share this ask your friend and their friends to share it! My daughters car has been found she no where around. She is in missing persons in savannah! It’s been 36 hours please share. Please if you see her contact savannah police department or me 404 323 5874,” Johnson said on Facebook.
“We don’t know what to do. The detective told me to have this all over Facebook. If you care for me please God share this. I’m In Savannah looking for her now! He phone pinged in Carrollton. Now it’s off completely. Help me please.”
According to Johnson, Melanie was always on Facebook. Johnson would wake up in the middle of the night and notice her daughter still active on Facebook messenger. She now hasn’t seen her online in days.
MISSING ADVISORY Melanie Steele, 24, was last seen in the 10600 block of Abercorn Street. She is 5’7”, 150 lbs, unknown clothing description. If seen, call 911!
Posted by Savannah Police Department on Saturday, September 14, 2019
Johnson said Melanie’s husband called her Saturday morning at 1:30 a.m. and also alerted the police. Johnson and her father immediately made a 4-hour trip to Savannah.
CrimeOnline spoke with Keturah Greene, the PIO coordinate for the Savannah Police Department. Greene said at this time, they cannot confirm or deny details surrounding the case since it’s an ongoing investigation.
“The case is under investigation. We are looking to locate Mrs. Steele and working through details. All we have right is that we are looking for her. A lot of things are associated with it [the case] and detectives need the opportunity to work through the investigation,” Greene said.
No one has been arrested in connection with Melanie’s disappearance, but Johnson has a sinking feeling something bad may have happened.
Johnson recalled speaking to Melanie on September 10, when her daughter contacted her and asked her for $160. Johnson was candid about her daughter’s drug use and said she likely used the money for meth.
Court records show that Melanie was arrested on September 4 for drug possession in Cobb County, Georgia, and made bail the following day.
The police have checked hospitals and jails and searched the area where her car was found with canines. Melanie is nowhere to be found.
Share this please I have 5,000.00If anyone can donate to a reward fund I’ll pay you back! Find my child’bReward…
Posted by Julia Tinker Johnson on Saturday, September 14, 2019
When Johnson didn’t hear from Melanie during another occasion in March, she posted on Facebook that she was worried about her. Melanie was angry by her mother’s post and embarrassed. She and told her mom to never do that again.
That’s another reason Johnson is so afraid that something awful has happened to her child, because with everyone sharing that she’s missing, Melanie would have called her mother and told her to stop if she were able to.
As of Monday, Melanie still has not been active on social media. Anyone with young people knows that their phones are constantly used for communicating with friends, family, and work, getting the news, banking, and updating their social activity.
Where is Melanie? Anyone with any information is urged to contact the Savannah Police Department’s Special Victims Unit at (912) 651-6742.
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[Feature Photo: Melanie Steele/Provided]
