Noelle Lynch: Missing California college student's parents extend gratitude as 23-year-old is reunited with them

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: A California college student, who was reported missing after her phone was discovered at LAX, has been reunited with her parents. According to a Facebook post shared on Saturday, April 13, Noelle Lynch’s mother Kellie Lynch said their “prayers have been answered and Noelle has reached out to us.”

‘We would like to extend our gratitude for all of your prayers for locating our daughter Noelle,” wrote Kellie. “Please, we ask that you respect our family’s privacy at this difficult time. And know that we will share updates with you when we can.” “Thank you for your love and support,” she concluded the post, as per People. 

What did the authorities say?

The Los Angeles Police Department previously said in a news release on April 8 that Noelle had last been seen five days before when she left an apartment "by foot." 

"She left without personal property and may or may not be able to identify herself,” the release added, noting that Noelle was “last seen leaving an apartment building on foot in the 900 block of East Redondo Boulevard in the City of Inglewood" around 5 pm local time on April 3. 

Noelle Lynch's father spoke after his daughter's disappearance 

Noelle’s father Mark Lynch told SFGate that the 23-year-old left home in a “difficult state of mind" and drove to Southern California on April 1. He added that his daughter "didn’t know where she was going" and also got into a car accident in Los Angeles in the early morning of April 2. The family then began driving down toward the area of LAX to meet their daughter.

Mark said that Kellie received a call from Noelle at 12 pm local time on April 3 via a "strange person’s phone" and that the student was "mostly not making sense." 

Noelle was later spotted that day, walking on foot after leaving the apartment building with Mark previously telling the outlet that it wasn’t clear why his daughter was there. Meanwhile, Kellie said she later found some of her daughter's belongings, including a backpack, in an apartment in the building. 

Loneliness of pandemic took a heavy toll on Noelle Lynch

Noelle’s phone was also discovered at an LAX Southwest ticket counter, but Mark told SFGate there was no evidence that his daughter had boarded a plane from the airport. The family previously told local ABC-affiliate KXTV that the loneliness of the pandemic was tough on Noelle and it was "difficult for her to get back on track."