Frantic seek for backpacker, 29, who vanished from UK hostel two weeks in the past
A mother and father are desperately worried after their daughter stopped messaging them and failed to turn up at work, with police ramping up the unexpected disappearance as a missing person case
The family of a girl who has been backpacking the UK have started a desperate search after she disappeared from a hostel in London two weeks ago.
Jessica Parkinson, 29, hails from Australia and took a trip to the UK. However, her family became worried after she sent a “cryptic” message to a co-worker before she completely disappeared with no contact. Her family are now asking for information about her whereabouts. She had recently been evicted from her flat and moved to St Christopher’s Inn hostel on Borough High Street.
She was last seen on December 8. Her father reported her as missing straight away after she did not make contact with her family back in Queensland.
Just three days after this, on December 11, Jessica also did not show for her evening shift at restaurant Texas Joes. She had been there for a year and suspicion was further raised when managers texted her.
When they enquired of her whereabouts, she claimed she got the timings wrong and apologised. She then promised to be there by 5pm, an hour after she was due to start.
Jessica never turned up to work and even sent a strange message to her colleague that same evening. The manager, Joe Walters, contacted Jessica’s dad on December 13 about the out-of-character response. They discussed the fact it was a missing persons case.
Restaurant owner Joe Walters told MailOnline: “That was very out of character for her. She didn’t show up, but sent a cryptic message to another member of staff that evening. She didn’t mention missing work. Then she didn’t show up to work on Thursday and then when she didn’t show up on Friday I reached out to her father in Australia.”
The police are treating the issue as a missing person case, and have asked anyone with any information about Jessica or her whereabouts to reach out. They released a description, which says she is around 5ft4 with reddish, blonde hair and blue eyes.
Joe added her disappearance was very out of character for her, which raised alarm bells. A spokesperson for the force added: “Police are currently investigating the whereabouts of Jessica Parkinson, 29 after she was last seen on Sunday, 08 December in Bermondsey.
“Anyone who may have seen Jessica is encouraged to contact police quoting reference number, 01/1196494/24.”
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