A woman has gone missing without her phone after she was last seen visiting friends in Houston. Sydney Marquez, a 24-year-old woman, was last seen on December 11 on the 9100 block of Bellaire Boulevard in Houston, Texas. The Houston Police Department’s Missing Persons Unit, along with the Texas Center for the Missing, have launched a search for her. Marquez, who is from El Paso, was visiting friends in the Houston area when she disappeared, as reported by FOX affiliate KRIV.
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According to Sydney’s father, Raul Marquez, her car was found abandoned along Bellaire Boulevard on the day she went missing, with the keys still inside. Leaving her phone behind is considered unusual behavior for Sydney, as noted by her family. Concerned for her safety, family members have travelled from El Paso to Houston to assist in the search and support efforts.
Raul Marquez revealed that Sydney had recently been diagnosed with a mental illness, specifically late-onset bipolar schizophrenia, about a year ago. He expressed worries about her well-being as she had not been consistently taking her medication, leading to changes in her behaviour. The family has raised alarm bells regarding her mental health condition to the Texas Center for the Missing.
Despite the challenges faced in the search for Sydney, her father remains hopeful for her safe return. Describing her as “a bright young lady,” Raul expressed his Christmas wish to have his daughter back home. He believes that Sydney may have boarded a METRO bus on the night she disappeared, although the bus’s cameras were reportedly not functioning correctly at the time.
Described as a Hispanic woman, Sydney Marquez is 5-foot-4, approximately 120 lbs, with brown eyes and red hair. During her last sighting, she was wearing a grey hoodie and pants, a beige shirt, and white tennis shoes. The Houston Police Department has urged anyone with information about her whereabouts to contact them at 713-884-3131 or reach out to the department’s Missing Persons Unit at 832-394-1840.
Amidst the holiday season, the Marquez family’s ordeal serves as a stark reminder of the importance of mental health awareness and support. The situation highlights the need for communities to come together to aid in locating missing individuals swiftly and efficiently. Efforts to raise awareness about Sydney’s disappearance continue, with hopes of a safe reunion with her loved ones.