The vehicle belonging to a pregnant Maryland high school teacher who was reported missing after she failed to turn up to the first day of class was found by police, it was reported late Friday.
Laura Elizabeth Wallen, 31, has not been seen or heard from since Monday when she sent her family a series of text messages.
Her vehicle was discovered in Howard County, which is approximately a 20-minute drive from her last known location, according to Fox 5 TV.
Photos of her vehicle, which was found in an apartment complex, were obtained by WJZ-TV and posted on Twitter.
The vehicle matches the description of the car that police were searching for earlier in the week – a black 2011 Ford Escape.
She sent a ‘troubling’ message to her family about an hour after she was last seen at about 8.30am on Monday at her condo in Olney where she lives alone.
The investigation is being handled by Montgomery County Police, which has jurisdiction over Olney.
Video from WJZ
Laura Elizabeth Wallen, 31, has not been seen or heard from since Monday when she sent her family a series of text messages from Olney, Maryland. Her vehicle was recovered in nearby Howard County, which is a 20-minute drive from her home
Her father Mark Wallen went to her condo but could not find her.
Wallen, who teaches history and law, then failed to show up to work on Tuesday at Wilde Lake High School in Columbia.
It set off alarm bells for her father who immediately contacted police.
Wallen’s family said she is four months pregnant. They said she was excited about her baby and had posted her sonogram on her refrigerator.
She also spent days preparing her classroom for the school year, according to friends.
Wallen, who teaches history and law, then failed to show up to work on Tuesday at Wilde Lake High School in Columbia
Wallen’s family said she is four months pregnant. They said she was excited about her baby and had posted her sonogram on her refrigerator
‘That obviously puts an enormous amount of worry on us because she is out there somewhere and she has a baby, so that’s a really scary thing,’ her sister Kadi told NBC.
Her father suspects someone is behind the teacher’s disappearance.
Police have described her as a white female who is 5’5′ tall and weighs 200 pounds. She has blonde hair and blue eyes.
Police say the family are concerned for Wallen’s emotional and physical welfare.
A number of family, friends, students, and acquaintances took to social media in an effort to aid the search. The hashtag #bringwallenhome was trending on Twitter, as concerned love ones plead with the public for information leading to her safe return home
‘By all appearances, she seems to be just a solid and committed person who would not behave this way,’ said Montgomery County Police Capt. Paul Starks.
‘She has been given awards as a teacher in the past. I think she enjoys a close relationship, not only with her sister, but with her parents.
They all still live very close to one another in the Olney area, see each other frequently and communicate even more frequently by phone.
‘The lack of contact, the no communication since Monday is completely out of character, and that has what has family and police concerned.’
A number of family, friends, students, and acquaintances took to social media in an effort to aid the search.
The hashtag #bringwallenhome was trending on Twitter, as concerned love ones plead with the public for information leading to her safe return home.
Police have instructed Wallen’s family not to make any statements to the news media for fear that it could interfere with the investigation.
Students are planning to meet at the school on Saturday to help in the search for their missing teacher.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Montgomery County Police Department’s non-emergency number at 301-279-8000.