Crime & Safety

Missing Foster City Teen May Be in San Diego

Helena Montilla was last seen March 5 when her mother dropped her off at Aragon High School.

Update, 2:28 pm: Previous reports stated that the car was stolen from the boyfriend's grandmother, but FCPD has since told Patch otherwise. "I had told a reporter I thought it may have been taken from the grandmother, but was not certain. The car was loaned to him by a friend, but was not returned," Foster City Police Capt. Jon Froomin said. Changes to the story have been made in bold.

The Foster City Police's search for a 16-year-old Foster City girl who has been missing since Saturday may have lead them as far south as San Diego.

Over the weekend, residents of a San Diego neighborhood spotted a suspicious car on their street, and the license plate number matched that of the Acura taken by Helena Montilla's boyfriend, Foster City Police Capt. Jon Froomin said.

Find out what's happening in Foster Citywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Montilla was last seen the morning of March 5 when her mother dropped her off at Aragon High School. Montilla was gone and the school was closed when her mother returned to pick her up at 12:45 pm the same day, FCPD confirmed late Thursday evening.

"The information we have indicates she is a voluntary runaway, possibly with her boyfriend," said Froomin.

Find out what's happening in Foster Citywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Authorities believe Montilla left town with her 18-year-old boyfriend in a 2000 Acura Integra loaned to him by a friend, but not returned, Froomin said. The stolen 2000 Acura Integra coupe has California license plate 4MAH184.

"The advantage of the boyfriend taking the car is that it gets him in the system," Froomin said. "If police look up the plate number, he's associated with the missing person."

Froomin said he is unsure whether any charges will be filed if the pair returns home.

"She's gone of her own free will," he said. "We'll certainly look into charges, but our most important concern is getting the young lady home."

Montilla is described as 5 feet 1 inch tall and 100 pounds, with brown hair, black eyes, and a pierced nose, belly button, and pierced ears. She has a tattoo on her right hip.

Several online social media posts also claim that her boyfriend,"Jake Pedrablanca," is traveling with Montilla. In addition to naming Pedrablanca, a screen shot of Helena Montilla's alleged Facebook profile was also posted on Twitter.

On the site, the user named Helena Montilla writes, "Everyone. Me and jake are safe and fine. Please know that yes WE both effed up and WE didn't choose to do this on purpose. We had no idea that this was going to happen, please stop making it look like he took me away and wont bring me back. Im making my own choices here too."

Anyone with information about Montilla is asked to call the at 650-286-3300.

Bay City News contributed to this report.


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