Fil-Am teenager from NJ missing, family appeals for help

Hayley Alvarado, 18, has been missing since she left her Jersey City home early morning of Dec. 17. CONTRIBUTED

SAN FRANCISCO – A Filipino American teenager from New Jersey has been missing for three weeks now, and her parents are appealing to the public to come forward with any clues.

Hayley Alvarado, 18, has been missing since she left her Jersey City home early morning of Dec. 17.

“You’re always in my heart my sweet ‘Lee.’ Please know that you are loved unconditionally by us. We will never give up searching for you and always pray for your safe return home,” said the missing teenager’s mother, Portia Alvarado, in a Facebook post.

In an interview with Inquirer.net, Alvarado said Hayley left home without telling anyone where she was going and turned off her phone, making her unreachable.

“She left home through our backdoor as our CCTV showed, and when her dad checked on her room, he found out she was no longer there. He tried looking for her to no avail,” Alvarado said.

Alvarado said Hayley, who did not know how to use public transport, asked her brother, 17-year-old Harley, if she had the exact amount for bus fare “and I guess my son gave (the money) to her on Friday night.”

“That’s the only amount she had with her. It look(ed) like she did not bring enough extra clothing with her because the backpack she brought look(ed) empty,” added Portia who describes herself as a wife, nanay, daughter, sister and friend who works as a registered nurse.

Alvarado said Hayley left behind her laptop that she used for her studies at Montclair State University, where Hayley is enrolled as a freshman pursuing Linguistics.

“Hayley had an episode of running away two years ago when she was 16, and in junior high. It was just for a few hours,” Alvarado said.

“She skipped school and we found her at a park around 8 p.m.,” Alvarado said. “She was battling with depression and anxiety. She underwent therapy and had medications before. When that happened while in junior high, she had consulted with several psychiatrist already, one of whom told me she was just undergoing a phase in her young life, and she did not need any medication but underwent therapy.”

Alvarado said the therapy went well and Hayley finished high school, graduating summa cum laude.

Like a typical teenager, Hayley stayed in her bedroom most of the time, but shortly before her disappearance, Hayley stayed in  her room longer than usual – for three days – before she went missing.

“Then Saturday evening before I went to work, I knocked on her door and asked, ‘Hayley are you ok?’ (and she said) ‘Yes nanay, it’s just that my stomach is aching’” Alvarado recalled, breaking down in tears and asking her husband, Stephen Alvarado, to take over the interview.

Stephen has served in the US Marines for 16 years, and later as chief officer of a merchant vessel. He was often posted in the Persian Gulf.

He has turned over Hayley’s laptop and tablet to the police, who are currently searching information they can use to help find Hayley.

The police have also been checking CCTVs in buses, bus stations, establishments and parks, in coordination with the Department of Transportation.

On Dec. 22, Stephen posted about Hayley’s disappearance on Facebook, “to get a wider reach, hoping someone may know and give (us) tips on where she may be. I also posted a wish that the spirit of Christmas giving will give us (the) return of our daughter Hayley,” he said.

Hayley left behind her ID and ATM card, and only had $100 with her, Stephen said.

“We are always checking on hospitals, shelter places and the police are checking on the places in New York and New Jersey that she (visited) as part of her routine. But all of them turned negative. We are also aware that if a patient is admitted (to a hospital) without any identifying papers, he/she is considered as unknown,” he added.

Stephen said they continue to search for Hayley while they carry on with their daily duties and work responsibilities. “We also have to continue to take care of our two other children,” he said.

He said that wherever Hayley might be, they hope she is safe, has a roof over her head and sheltered from the cold weather.

He said any clues from the public will be greatly appreciated, asking those who may have information about Hayley to call 911 or the Jersey City Police Department at (551) 227-8511, or provide information at the nearest police station.