Parents and other family members of missing student Elizabeth Elena Laguna Salgado spoke at a press conference Thursday. The family traveled from Chiapas, Mexico, to join the search for their daughter, who has now been missing for two weeks.
Salgado was last seen on April 16 while walking home from Nomen Global Language School. Police do not believe Salgado was taken by a stranger and are making efforts to interview every person who may have come in contact with her that day.
Salgado’s parents and sibling asked the public for help and prayers as they continue their search in the hope of being reunited with their daughter before their 15-day humanitarian visas expire. Salgado’s mother, Lebertad Edith Salgado, described her daughter as very responsible and believes abduction is the only plausible explanation for her daughter’s disappearance.
“I believe that my daughter has been kidnapped and held hostage at this time,” Libertad Salgado said. “My daughter was a very good student. She always got good grades. She was excellent in all that she did, school and work. I can never remember her being negative. She was always positive and very pleasant.”
Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes commended the community, law officials and the various agencies across the state that have joined forces to find Elizabeth Salgado.
“Our entire community is coming together to make sure we do everything we can to help,” Reyes said. “We need information. We need any little bit of information that you have that can make a difference for us. So we have a tremendous amount of hope.”
The parents and family members of Salgado thanked the community and the media for their ongoing efforts to help find Elizabeth Salgado.
“We are very grateful for all the support that we are receiving,” said Julio Cesar Laguna, Salgado’s father. “We pray that our daughter is returned to us for Mother’s Day so that my wife will be able to be reunited. What an amazing gift that would be to us.”
Elizabeth Saldgado has long black hair and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing blue jeans, dark hiking boots and a denim jacket. She is 5 feet, 4 inches tall and weighs around 120–130 pounds.
Provo Police Lt. Brandon Post said subpoenas of Elizabeth Salgado’s social media and financial records show that she has not used either since the day of her disappearance.
Anyone with any information is urged to call the police immediately at 801-852-7307.
