Missing UMD Student Kaitlyn George Found Safe
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- After nearly a week, University of Maryland Police says that missing UMD student, Kaitlyn George has been found.
Police say the 21-year-old college student has been located in Houston, Texas.
UMPD says that the Houston Police are reporting they have located Kaitlyn George in a McDonald's parking lot, and is now being hospitalized.
University of Maryland Police received word from the Houston Police Department, just after 8 a.m., Wednesday morning. Investigators are trying to figure out why the student suddenly disappeared.
"I'm happy to know she's found but it still feels an unsettling feeling of why she left," said said Daneil Baugh, University of Maryland Sophomore.
Houston Police tell WJZ that they received a call Wednesday for a person in distress. That's when they found her at a McDonald's parking lot.
"Kaitlyn was by herself and is okay. Thank you to everyone who assisted in locating Kaitlyn George," said University of Maryland Police in a statement.
Police have been working continuously to locate George since she disappeared last week, her family seriously concerned for her whereabouts, although police contended there was no foul play.
"We were all praying hoping she was ok and nothing happened to her," said Baugh.
It was initially announced that George was missing on November 10, when police received a missing student report. Kaitlyn was scheduled to meet a friend at the Eppley Recreation Center at approximately 5 p.m. to go on a hiking trip. When Kaitlyn did not show up, her friend went to the police station to report her missing.
"There was 3 to 5 officers at our hall and I saw girls frantically calling people," said Baugh.
A witness reported seeing Kaitlyn on a Charm City Circulator bus on November 11, 2016, at approximately 8:40 a.m. Investigators interviewed this witness and verified this sighting.
University of Maryland Police had just released new information on Tuesday night that Kaitlyn George was seen on security video entering the Baltimore Greyhound bus station back on Friday, November 11.
Police say Kaitlyn purchased a ticket and at approximately 1:33 p.m., she boarded a bus that was headed to Norfolk, VA. This bus was scheduled to stop at Union Station in D.C., Richmond, VA, and Hampton, VA.
But it wasn't until Wednesday morning, when the student was tracked 1500 miles away in Texas.
Houston Police tell WJZ they responded to a call for a person in distress, and found George by herself in a mcdonald's parking lot. Though authorities tell WJZ, she appeared to be unharmed but was hysterical..
"We were notified by houston police department that kaitlyn was located by them," Sgt. Rosanne Hoass, University of Maryland Police.
Even though the 21-year-old is safe, there are plenty of unanswered questions:
"We don't know why she left or the reason behind it. We plan on following up and hope to get answers to those questions and make sure she is okay and that everything is okay," said Sgt Hoaas.
Though her family, friends and classmates are breathing a sigh of relief.
"I'm sure her family was thinking the worst possible outcome. It must be a huge relief for them. We're all happy they found her," said Mihir Magumdar, University of Maryland, Colleg Park senior.
Houston Police Department tell WJZ the University of Maryland student is still hospitalized there as of tonight. Authorities say at this time, they still have no reason to suspect foul play in the student's disappearance.
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