Authorities in New York are investigating the disappearance of a Long Island woman who disappeared while on a cross-country road trip with her boyfriend.
According to Newsday and NBC News, Gabrielle Petito had been traveling with the unidentified man on a road trip this summer and was last known to be in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming on in late August. At the point, her family says Gabrielle stopped communication. According to the report, Gabrielle had a FaceTime call with her mother Nichole Schmidt on August 24 or 25. August 25 was also the date of Gabrielle’s last Instagram post.
Schmidt told Newsday that she received text messages from her daughter’s phone on August 30, but could not be sure her Gabrielle had written or sent them. The mother reported her Gabrielle missing on Sunday.
NBC News reports that authorities have recovered the white 2012 Ford Transit van that Gabrielle had been traveling in. It is not known where the vehicle was recovered, or if Gabrielle’s boyfriend is also considered a missing person.
Gabrielle’s father Joe Petito told Newsday that his daughter’s disappearance feels like “drowning with your hands tied behind you.”
“You can’t describe it. There’s nothing you can do,” Petito said. “You can’t control anything.”
Gabrielle Petito is described as a caucasian female, 5 feet 5 inches tall and 110 pounds, with blonde hair and blue eyes. She has a tattoo on her forearm that reads “let it be,” along with several other tatoos.
Gabrielle’s parents told Newsday they could not provide any further details about their daughter’s disappearance due to the active investigation. It is not clear at this time if investigators suspect foul play or if Gabrielle’s boyfriend is considered a suspect.
“I just want people to keep looking and not stop until we find her,” Schmidt told Newsday. “She’s out there somewhere… We won’t stop until we find her.”
Anyone with information is urged to call CrimeStoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS.
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