The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) is urgently seeking the public’s assistance in locating missing 17-year-old, Abigail Lawless.
On August 17, 2024, Abigail went missing from her home in West Plains, Missouri in the middle of the night after her family fell asleep. Abigail’s family fears that she may have traveled to Virgina with an unknown individual she met online. Abigail is described as 5’9″, weighs 160 lbs., and has brown eyes with brown hair.
Abigail’s mom, Leah Lawless, shared that earlier that night, the whole family had a nice dinner outing and nothing seemed out of the ordinary. She wants to emphasize that Abigail has never left home before and has not tried to contact any family or friends since she vanished, which is extremely unlike her. Leah hopes this message will reach her daughter, “We all love and miss you so much, please come home. We just need to know that you are okay and safe”.
In an effort to bring more attention to Abigail’s case, her poster is being featured on the Ring’s Neighbors app as a part of a partnership between NCMEC and Ring. This feature reaches millions of users, providing real-time assistance in locating missing children.
If you have any information about Abigail or her disappearance, please contact NCMEC at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) or the Howell County Sheriff’s Office (Missouri) at 1-417-256-2544.
