ELKTON, Md. — UPDATE: 21-year-old Frances Diienno was found safe late Sunday night, nearly 48 hours after disappearing from her Elkton home.
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After hours and hours of searching, with bloodhounds, state police and volunteers, there’s still no sign of a 21-year-old woman who went missing from her Elkton home early Saturday morning.
"I feel like somethings seriously wrong," said Tammy Diienno.
She describes her youngest daughter Frances as a budding artist, musician and animal lover. She was last seen on home surveillance video at 2:30 Saturday morning, leaving out the back door, putting on boots and heading to the woods with a flashlight.
"This is the most heartbreaking thing for me. She’s my best friend and I don’t want to lose her," said her sister Nadine.
She hasn’t been seen or heard from since. It’s even scarier for her family because she’s on medication and has dealt with mental health problems for years after a brain injury from a horse back riding accident.
"State police are telling us from clearing her phone and tablet that she contacted a suicide hot line at midnight right before she went missing," said her father Fran.
She also suffers from a dissociative disorder.
"She blacks out and doesn’t know where she’s going so I'm afraid that someone might have picked her up in the state of mind," said Tammy.
A bloodhound tracked her scent to the post office and then lost it.
Dozens of officers and volunteers have been out searching all day weekend, trying to find her.
Sheriff deputies from Cecil County deployed a drone using thermal imaging to search the densely wooded areas.
Twenty volunteers and six air scent K-9’s from Chesapeake Search and Rescue, Mason Dixon Search Dogs and Delmarva Search and Rescue also assisted in the search.
Neighbors volunteered with the search efforts on horseback, on foot and using all terrain utility vehicles. Police and volunteers searched for 14 hours Saturday yielding negative results.
"Above and beyond. Multiple helicopters, drones, different agencies with canines. I just can't believe the out pour from the community who still continue to look for her," said Fran.
Because they live so close to state lines, Maryland State police asked for help from Pennsylvania and Delaware agencies.
Her family is pleading for her safe return.
"We are not mad at her. We just want her home safe and to get her help. And if anyone has her, just bring her back, no questions asked," said Fran.
Her family said she could be confused so if you see her, call state police immediately at the North East Barrack at 410-996-7800. She is described as a white female who's 5'5" tall, weighs 150 pounds, and who has blonde hair and blue eyes. She was wearing a zip front hooded sweatshirt, leggings and slip-on sneaker type shoes when she left her home early Saturday morning.
