FREMONT, CA – The family of a 16-year-old girl who has been missing since late July has launched an online fundraising campaign in an effort to help finance the ongoing search for the missing girl via the employment of private investigators.
According to the family of the missing teen, Katie Hong was last seen on July 25th while at her home located along Queens Park Court in South Fremont, with police also having discovered surveillance footage of Katie as she was seemingly headed toward Irvington Community Park.
A description of the missing teen notes she’s approximately 5 feet tall and 100 pounds with braces and medium-length dark brown hair. Katie was last seen wearing a navy blue zip-up jacket, gray sweatpants and toting around a red Patagonia backpack. Authorities say a note believed to be written by Katie was left behind, which reportedly expressed an intent to run away from home in order to meet up with people she knew online.
Police added that Katie apparently didn’t know the real names of these online friends, nor had she ever met them in real life prior to going missing. A cellphone in the teen’s possession at the time she went missing was tracked to Irvington Community Park, where investigators believe the young girl intentionally left the phone behind in an effort to avoid being located.
On August 2nd, the missing teen’s family took to GoFundMe to establish a fundraiser in the hopes the additional funds can help the ongoing search for Katie. A statement from Katie’s family featured in the fundraiser sheds some light into what life was like for the teen, noting the fact that both of her parents are deaf.
“Katie is a vibrant, intelligent, and beautiful young woman,” the fundraiser reads, adding, “Her smile lights up every room, and she has always been mature beyond her years. As the daughter of two deaf parents, Katie has played an essential and selfless role in our family, always helping, always supporting, always loving.”
According to the family’s fundraiser, the funds will be used to onboard private investigators, assist with legal and communication support costs, help with counseling and relocating to a new school for Katie’s younger sister, and help with the family’s living expenses while taking the needed time off work to try and find their daughter.
The Fremont Police Department is asking members of the public to please report any information that can help investigators locate the missing girl. Anyone with information regarding the case can directly call the Fremont Police Investigations Unit at (510) 790-6900 or they can submit an anonymous tip online or via text by typing “Tip FremontPD” to 888-777.
According to the family of the missing teen, Katie Hong was last seen on July 25th while at her home located along Queens Park Court in South Fremont, with police also having discovered surveillance footage of Katie as she was seemingly headed toward Irvington Community Park.
A description of the missing teen notes she’s approximately 5 feet tall and 100 pounds with braces and medium-length dark brown hair. Katie was last seen wearing a navy blue zip-up jacket, gray sweatpants and toting around a red Patagonia backpack. Authorities say a note believed to be written by Katie was left behind, which reportedly expressed an intent to run away from home in order to meet up with people she knew online.
Police added that Katie apparently didn’t know the real names of these online friends, nor had she ever met them in real life prior to going missing. A cellphone in the teen’s possession at the time she went missing was tracked to Irvington Community Park, where investigators believe the young girl intentionally left the phone behind in an effort to avoid being located.
On August 2nd, the missing teen’s family took to GoFundMe to establish a fundraiser in the hopes the additional funds can help the ongoing search for Katie. A statement from Katie’s family featured in the fundraiser sheds some light into what life was like for the teen, noting the fact that both of her parents are deaf.
“Katie is a vibrant, intelligent, and beautiful young woman,” the fundraiser reads, adding, “Her smile lights up every room, and she has always been mature beyond her years. As the daughter of two deaf parents, Katie has played an essential and selfless role in our family, always helping, always supporting, always loving.”
According to the family’s fundraiser, the funds will be used to onboard private investigators, assist with legal and communication support costs, help with counseling and relocating to a new school for Katie’s younger sister, and help with the family’s living expenses while taking the needed time off work to try and find their daughter.
The Fremont Police Department is asking members of the public to please report any information that can help investigators locate the missing girl. Anyone with information regarding the case can directly call the Fremont Police Investigations Unit at (510) 790-6900 or they can submit an anonymous tip online or via text by typing “Tip FremontPD” to 888-777.
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