A series of “out of character” text messages were sent by an Australian waitress who vanished amid a backpacking trip in the UK when her friends asked where she was.
The desperate search continues into its second week for Jessica Parkinson, 29, who had been staying at a hostel in the Bermondsey area of south London, reports the Mirror. When she didn’t turn up for a shift at the restaurant at which she has worked for the past year, panicked bosses and colleagues alerted the Metropolitan Police, which launched a desperate search.
Jessica’s father, from the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, hasn’t been able to get hold of his daughter for around two weeks, it is reported. It is also understood Jessica sent a colleague a “cryptic” message on the day she failed to turn up for work. She has now missed at least three shifts in a row.
Restaurant owner Joe Walters told MailOnline: “Our manager (initially) sent a message asking where she was, and she responded that she thought she was in at 5pm and she would be right there. That was very out of character for her. She didn’t show up, but sent a cryptic message to another member of staff that evening. She didn’t mention missing work.
“Then she didn’t show up to work on Thursday and then when she didn’t show up on Friday I reached out to her father in Australia. He told me the police had been alerted and is being dealt with by the missing persons unit.”
Jessica, described as 5ft4 with blue eyes and reddish, blonde hair, had discussed travelling back to Australia for the holidays and staying there until March but none of her family or friends on the other side of the world have heard from her, it is reported.
It is thought she was recently evicted from a flat share in the capital, and forced to live in the hostel. Referring to this issue, Joe added: “She wasn’t very happy with that situation which I can imagine so we were trying to assist her with finding something and we hadn’t made any progress with that. She was stressed out about it at the time…. She’s very reliable and we have a close relationship. She is very clever, outgoing and friendly.”
It is not thought the waitress has used her passport. Joe continued: “We are alright, struggling a bit. It’s difficult for her dad because he’s in Australia and with the time difference he’s not really sleeping in case he hears something.”
Anyone with information regarding Jess’ whereabouts are urged to get in touch with the Met Police. A spokesperson for the force said: “Police are currently investigating the whereabouts of Jessica Parkinson, 29 after she was last seen on Sunday, 08 December in Bermondsey. Anyone who may have seen Jessica is encouraged to contact police quoting reference number, 01/1196494/24.”
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