Paula Lopez Missing, Found Safe at Home After Massive Search
Paula Lopez caused a huge scare for family and friends when she was reported missing. Thankfully the TV anchorwoman for ABC was found safe at her home, though the mystery of why she was reported missing still remains.
"At around 5:30 p.m. tonight, her family members called Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Public Safety Dispatch to report that she is home and safe. When deputies responded to her residence, they confirmed she was there and no longer missing," the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office wrote in a prepared statement distributed to the media.
Lopez's parents had reported her missing at around 10:00 a.m. after speaking with her at 9:30 that same morning. Police immediately began a search of the area around her home and used all available resources to help, including K-9 units and a helicopter.
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"No foul play is suspected but her family is concerned about her welfare. We are not commenting on the reasons surrounding why Ms. Lopez went missing due to the fact that it is a private family matter," the Sheriff's Department said.
Lopez is an anchor for ABC affiliate KEYT-TV and has anchored the nightly news for six years now. Her colleagues issued a statement upon learning that she had been reported missing and said their "thoughts and prayers are extended to Paula as well as her family and those searching to find her."
"We have been in touch with her family and know they, as well as local authorities, are doing everything possible to find her safe and sound. We hope for her safe and speedy return," KEYT General Manager Mark Danielson told The Los Angeles Times.
She is married to Superior Court Judge Frank Ochoa and has three children. It's unknown whether a domestic dispute led to her parents filing the missing persons report or exactly what happened. For now, though, her friends and family are simply glad that she is safe at home.
