Woman missing for weeks may be in Arizona state park, family says. ‘We are devastated’
A 51-year-old woman who has been missing for weeks may be in an Arizona state park, her family said.
Amber Bretsch has been missing since April 1, according to a missing person flyer released by the Phoenix Police Department.
She was last seen by her family in the area of North 27th Avenue and West Deer Valley Road, police said.
Her silver 2017 Kia Rio was then found April 4 at the White Tank Mountain Regional Park, according to police and her daughter Tara Young.
Young said in a Facebook post that her mother’s keys and phone were still inside the car.
Rescuers scoured the park from April 3 to April 8 for Bretsch, using police dogs, ground search teams, a drone and horses but still couldn’t find her, Young said.
Police have also gathered surveillance videos from areas Bretsch was last seen in, but are still processing them, Young said.
Phoenix police did not share future search plans or any other updates in the case with McClatchy News.
However, Young said in another post the police may use more drones to “search the mountain in the areas hikers cannot get to.”
Even though multiple searches have been conducted, police told Young that “(Bretsch) could still be in that area, but it just takes the right eyes at the right moment to find her,” according to a GoFundMe.
Her family isn’t giving up, though.
“We are devastated in her absence and are desperate to find her,” Young wrote on the fundraising page. “We need all the help we can get to help find her and find answers.”
The White Tank Mountain Regional Park is in Waddell, which is about a 30-mile drive northwest from Phoenix.
It spans 30,000 acres and includes rugged mountains, ridges and canyons, according to Maricopa County Parks and Recreation. The park also has 30 miles of trails for hikers, backpackers, mountain bike riders and horse riders.
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