Family Spots Clues in 14-Year-Old's Mysterious Disappearance

A 14-year-old girl recently went missing in Georgia and the family found clues relating to her disappearance, which they believe might show that someone "coached" her through it.

According to the Gwinnett Police Department in Georgia, 14-year-old Ashley Bell was last seen on May 24 at approximately 10:32 a.m. Her disappearance comes shortly after officials in Cleveland, Ohio, reported an extraordinary uptick in the number of missing children reported in the month of May.

Now, police say that she was seen in the student parking lot of the Parkview High School, located at 998 Cole Drive in unincorporated Lilburn. Atlanta News First, or WANF, reported that officers with the Gwinnett County School Police saw Bell on surveillance footage placing her debit card on the windshield of her sister's vehicle in the parking lot. Bell also placed her backpack and laptop underneath her sister's vehicle, WANF reported.

It was that footage that prompted the 14-year-old's father, Ramon Bell to speak to WANF about the disappearance. (The Gwinnett County School Police first received reports of Bell's disappearance, but the case has since been turned over to the Gwinnett Police Department.)

"I just think somebody was coaching her, that's just how I feel. I think someone coached her through this because she doesn't walk anywhere," Ramon Bell told the outlet. "These streets are dangerous. She's 14. She doesn't know too much."

"When she left, she had no money, no clothes, no nothing," Bell's father added.

Bell also made similar comments while speaking to WAGA-TV in Atlanta saying, "We really think that she was just talking to someone on an app and became friends with them, and they lured her out. Because she never would do anything like this."

In a press release, the Gwinnett Police Department said that Bell's cell phone was turned off just a few hours after she was last seen in the school's parking lot.

"She has had no activity on social media. She does not have access to money or a car. These circumstances are outside her normal behavior, as she has perfect attendance in school," the press release said. "Bell is a black female with curly black hair and brown eyes. She is approximately 5'03" and weighs 145 lbs. She wore a white shirt, brown tights, and white and brown shoes."

On Wednesday, officials continued to search for Bell and the Gwinnett Police Department posted a tweet asking for the community's help.

"At this point, Ashley Bell is considered a missing endangered child," the tweet said.

The tweet also featured three pictures of Bell, including one that was taken from surveillance video showing her in the Parkview High School parking lot.

Newsweek was directed to the press release after reaching out to the Gwinnett Police Department via email.