Aaliyah Ramirez’s father described his daughter to "Dateline" as “responsible” and “someone who would not run away."
Thursday marked one month that a 14-year-old teenager has been missing from her hometown of Syracuse, Indiana. Aaliyah Ramirez was last seen on April 27 leaving her home at 8:01 a.m. to catch the bus to school, but never got on the bus, according to doorbell camera footage, WNDU-TV 16News Now reported.
The Indiana State Police issued a Silver Alert shortly after the young woman vanished. Aaliyah’s stepmother reported the teen missing, Syracuse Indiana Police Chief James Layne told Inside Edition digital.
“She is not believed to be in the local area,” Layne said, calling the case an "active investigation." “Time is of the essence in this situation. If anyone in the public believes they have seen her please contact a local law enforcement agency.”
Layne said they are working with other jurisdictions in hopes of finding the teen. There have been reports that Aaliyah may have been in Marion, Indiana, Georgia or Palm Beach County, Florida, NBC Dateline reported.
‘Anytime a juvenile and a 14-year-old goes missing there is always a danger involved whether it was voluntary or not voluntary,” said Layne, who describes Syracuse, Indiana, as a small lake community with a population of 3,000 located 147 miles north of Indianapolis. "Whatever the case will be we won’t know a final answer until she is located. We will continue to search and are investigating all possibilities.”
Anthony Ramirez, Aaliyah’s father, described his daughter to Dateline as “responsible” and “someone who would not run away." He said nothing seemed out of the ordinary on the morning of her disappearance .
Ramirez told Dateline that he has a sense that something is wrong. “She’s in trouble and we need to get her home safe.”
Aaliyah’s mother, Ashli Aspy, said that the last time she saw her daughter was on a Sunday before she vanished. She said they had a special day together shopping, going for lunch and getting manicures and pedicures together.
Aaliyah, who has been studying dance since the third grade and is part of the Indiana Ballet Conservatory in Indianapolis, is well-loved in her dance community. Everyone is rallying for her safe return.
Friends and family are sick with worry and describe the young girl as “shy.”
A Facebook page was set up to help find Aaliyah with the hashtag #FindAaliyahRamirez, People reported.
Her ballet teacher, Hailey Toy, told WNDU that the walk from her house to the bus stop is only five minutes.
“We know that she did not get on the bus” Toy said.
She sent out a plea to the young woman hoping she will hear the message and telling her how much she is missed and loved,
“You’re such a tough, tough kid, and people care about you, and people love you, and we’re going to get you home safely,” Toy said.
Aaliyah is described as 5 feet 9 inches tall and 138 pounds. She has black hair and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing a black zip-up jacket, gray and white sweatpants, and a purple Nike backpack.
Anyone with information about Aaliyah should contact the Syracuse, Indiana, Police Department at 574-267-5667.
