'We'd like to get her back': Parents of missing California woman desperate for help

A 23-year-old California woman has been missing for more than a week, and her parents say they're desperate to find her.

Noelle Lynch of Sacramento was last seen leaving an apartment building in the Los Angeles suburb of Inglewood on Wednesday, April 3, according to a Los Angeles Police Department news release.   

Police say she “may or may not be able to identify herself,” and left the area on foot and without any of her belongings.

Noelle Lynch's mom says she left Sacramento home without warning

Kellie Lynch, Noelle’s mother, told local station KXTV on Wednesday that her daughter left her home in Sacramento a couple days earlier, on April 1.

“Next thing you know, she’s calling to tell us she’s somewhere in Los Angeles and has been in a car accident,” Kellie Lynch said. Noelle did not suffer from any injuries, but her car was totaled as a result of the crash, according to her mom.

The behavior leading up to Noelle’s disappearance was completely unlike her, with Kellie Lynch stating that they had “no idea why she was in Los Angeles.” 

“She always calls. This is very out of character," Noelle’s father, March Lynch told SF Gate. "She has had a tough time but she has always called."

Cellphone found at LAX, change in attitude weeks leading up to disappearance 

Kellie Lynch made her way to Los Angeles early the next day “to try and help" her daughter.

Her parents told KXTV that they booked a hotel room for Noelle near LAX, where the crash happened, but they said she didn't end up staying there. They also say her phone was found at the Southwest ticket counter at Los Angeles International Airport.

Mark Lynch told SF Gate that his wife got a call from their daughter from a “strange person’s phone” at noon on April 3. The conversation they had that day was brief and Noelle was “mostly not making sense,” he told the outlet. That’s the last time her parents heard from her. 

Noelle’s parents also shared that they noticed a change in her emotions recently, saying she was “upset, anxious and disoriented” in recent weeks. 

Noelle Lynch is student at the University of California, Sacramento

Noelle was starting to get her footing at University of California in Sacramento after facing a rough patch at another nearby state university, her parents said, attributing the tough times to the isolation brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“It was just very difficult for her to get back on track," Mark Lynch said. "And we had several false starts … We were really happy for her because she had re-engaged and seemed like she was making progress."

Her parents are still hopeful that she will be found, safe and sound.

“She’s a good person. She’s a good human,” Kellie Lynch said. "She’s caring, kind … We want to know that she’s okay. And then we'd like to get her back and get her help."

Noelle Lynch still missing, last seen in Inglewood

Lynch was last seen on April 3 at about 5 p.m. around the 900 block of East Redondo Boulevard in Inglewood, Los Angeles police says. 

She has brown hair and blue eyes, was last seen wearing a dark T-shirt, green sweatpants with a military logo, and white sneakers. Lynch is 5 feet, 8 inches tall and weighs about 125 pounds. 

Anyone with information are encouraged to contact LAPD's Missing Persons Unit at (213)-996-1800. Calls should be (877)-527-3247 during non-business hours or on weekends. 

Anyone wishing to remain anonymous should call the LA Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (800-222-8477) or go directly to www.lacrimestoppers.org.