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SARAI SIERRA, AMERICAN WOMAN, GOES MISSING ON TRIP TO TURKEY
http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/national_world&id=8969989
Sunday, January 27, 2013
In this image provided by the family, Sarai Sierra is shown in an
undated family photo, in New York. (AP Photo / Family Photo)
January 27, 2013 (NEW YORK) -- Relatives of a missing New York City
woman who disappeared during a vacation to Turkey, her first trip
outside the U.S., are heading to Istanbul to look for her, her brother
said Sunday.
Sarai Sierra's family was last in touch with her on Monday, the day
she was supposed to start her journey home. The 33-year-old mother
of two had been in Turkey on her own since Jan. 7.
Her brother David Jimenez told The Associated Press that he and
Sierra's husband, Steven, were planning to leave for Turkey on Sunday
night. He said he had no return date planned.
"I don't want to come home without my sister," he said.
Sierra planned to head to the Galata Bridge, a well-known tourist
destination that spans the Golden Horn waterway, to take some
photographs, said her mother, Betzaida Jimenez. Her daughter then
supposed to begin traveling home and was scheduled to arrive in New
York City on Tuesday afternoon.
Sierra's father went to pick her up at the airport and "waited there
for hours" with no sign of his daughter, Jimenez said.
Sierra had planned to go on the trip with a friend but ended up going
by herself when the friend couldn't make it. She was looking forward
to exploring her hobby of photography, her family said.
"I was nervous. I didn't want my daughter to go," Jimenez said, but
the trip had passed smoothly with Sierra in regular contact with her
family and friends through text messaging and phone calls.
"She would always call and let us know, 'This is what I did today,'"
Jimenez said.
When she didn't show up in New York City, her husband called the
place where she had been staying, David Jimenez said. The owner of
the hostel checked her room and saw that her passport, equipment
chargers and other items were still there.
"It looked like she was just stepping out," he said.
The family has been in touch with authorities in their efforts to find
her. No one was available to comment after hours Sunday at Istanbul
police headquarters. Crime in Turkey is generally low and Istanbul
is a relatively safe city for travelers, though there are areas where
women would be advised to avoid going alone at night. The Galata and
the nearby Galata Bridge areas have been gentrified and are home to
fish restaurants, cafes and boutiques.
Sierra's children, ages 11 and 9, do not know their mother is
missing, her brother said. Betzaida Jimenez said the situation has
"been a nightmare."
"I'm forcing myself to get up because I have to get up," she said.
But she said the tight-knit family was holding onto their faith.
"We're praying and trusting God that she's safe somewhere and we're
going to find her," she said.
http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/national_world&id=8969989
Sunday, January 27, 2013
In this image provided by the family, Sarai Sierra is shown in an
undated family photo, in New York. (AP Photo / Family Photo)
January 27, 2013 (NEW YORK) -- Relatives of a missing New York City
woman who disappeared during a vacation to Turkey, her first trip
outside the U.S., are heading to Istanbul to look for her, her brother
said Sunday.
Sarai Sierra's family was last in touch with her on Monday, the day
she was supposed to start her journey home. The 33-year-old mother
of two had been in Turkey on her own since Jan. 7.
Her brother David Jimenez told The Associated Press that he and
Sierra's husband, Steven, were planning to leave for Turkey on Sunday
night. He said he had no return date planned.
"I don't want to come home without my sister," he said.
Sierra planned to head to the Galata Bridge, a well-known tourist
destination that spans the Golden Horn waterway, to take some
photographs, said her mother, Betzaida Jimenez. Her daughter then
supposed to begin traveling home and was scheduled to arrive in New
York City on Tuesday afternoon.
Sierra's father went to pick her up at the airport and "waited there
for hours" with no sign of his daughter, Jimenez said.
Sierra had planned to go on the trip with a friend but ended up going
by herself when the friend couldn't make it. She was looking forward
to exploring her hobby of photography, her family said.
"I was nervous. I didn't want my daughter to go," Jimenez said, but
the trip had passed smoothly with Sierra in regular contact with her
family and friends through text messaging and phone calls.
"She would always call and let us know, 'This is what I did today,'"
Jimenez said.
When she didn't show up in New York City, her husband called the
place where she had been staying, David Jimenez said. The owner of
the hostel checked her room and saw that her passport, equipment
chargers and other items were still there.
"It looked like she was just stepping out," he said.
The family has been in touch with authorities in their efforts to find
her. No one was available to comment after hours Sunday at Istanbul
police headquarters. Crime in Turkey is generally low and Istanbul
is a relatively safe city for travelers, though there are areas where
women would be advised to avoid going alone at night. The Galata and
the nearby Galata Bridge areas have been gentrified and are home to
fish restaurants, cafes and boutiques.
Sierra's children, ages 11 and 9, do not know their mother is
missing, her brother said. Betzaida Jimenez said the situation has
"been a nightmare."
"I'm forcing myself to get up because I have to get up," she said.
But she said the tight-knit family was holding onto their faith.
"We're praying and trusting God that she's safe somewhere and we're
going to find her," she said.