As the search continued on Monday for an Antelope Valley mother who has been missing for nearly two weeks, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department confirmed that investigators found the vehicle belonging to Monique Figueroa.
Figueroa’s 2004 burgundy Mercedes-Benz was found Saturday in the Palmdale area, the department confirmed Monday, for the first time calling publicly for help finding her and issuing a flier detailing her disappearance.
She was last seen by her father while she drove away from her home in the 7200 block of East Avenue U-12, the Sheriff’s Department stated. She has been missing since about 4 a.m. May 19, according to the flier.
Figueroa was described as a 27-year-old Hispanic female weighing 140 pounds and standing 5 feet 3 inches tall. She has shoulder-length brown hair and hazel eyes, the Sheriff’s Department stated.
Her father, Jeff Figueroa, had said his daughter’s SUV was found in Juniper Hills, about 7 miles from her home, with scratches on it “like it’d been run off the road.”
Jeff Figueroa said he was concerned his daughter’s boyfriend was involved in her disappearance. The boyfriend was arrested in March and was in jail at the time that Monique Figueroa was last seen, according to online county inmate records.
Figueroa, the mother of a 2-year-old daughter, has not been seen since she told friends she was driving to Los Angeles for a short trip.
Her brother told KTLA it was unlike her to leave her toddler for long stretches of time.
“She’s a good mother because she wouldn’t leave … she wouldn’t just leave a 2-year-old daughter at home,” said the younger Jeff Figueroa. “She’s a really good girl, she always worked and she wouldn’t just disappear like that.”
He said his sister had begun “hanging out with the wrong people.”
Figueroa’s disappearance was being investigated as “suspicious” and as a possible kidnapping, sheriff’s detectives said last week.
Family members said Figueroa was 28, as did a Facebook page created to help find “Mo.”
A candlelight vigil was held for Figueroa on Sunday evening at Littlerock Community Church, where her sister broke down in tears before more than 100 gathered family members and friends.
Sheriff’s Capt. Don Ford appeared at the vigil and asked the public to contact investigators with any tips. Anyone with information about Figueroa’s whereabouts has been asked to call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.
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