19-Year-Old Utah Student Goes Missing, Father Pleads For Her Safe Return

A Utah father has urged the public to help find his missing 19-year-old daughter who, according to him, suffers from a disability and mental as well as emotional challenges. The young woman was last seen walking away from the building of her college dorm.

Madelyn Allen was last seen walking out of her Snow College dorm building at 155 E. College Avenue in Ephraim around 9.22 p.m. Monday. Later, her roommates reported her missing when she failed to return to the dorm, KSL reported.

Jonathan and Taunya Allen, the girl’s parents who live in Davis County, said they have not seen their daughter since then. The parents, accompanied by some of their relatives, are looking for Madelyn in Ephraim.

Snow College Police Chief Derek Walk said the missing girl had her cellphone with her when she walked out. Police are trying to track the phone in an attempt to find her.

According to the missing student’s father Jonathan, Madelyn was born prematurely at 26 weeks and suffered from a brain bleed, KSL reported. "Since then, she has faced myriad of challenges, including disability as well as mental and emotional difficulties. Despite all of this, she has overcome challenges," he said.

At a news conference Thursday, Jonathan pleaded for the safe return of his daughter to "increase the speed and success in the search."

"Dear Maddie, if you can hear us, you're not alone. Many people are facing similar challenges and have faced challenges like this. We know that you are brave and you are strong. We see you, and we love you beyond our ability to express," the teary-eyed father said. "We are here for you, and we're anxious for you to come home and be with us for Christmas."

"We are devastated, of course, as you can imagine, and we’re desperate to find her safe," Jonathan was quoted as saying by the Salt Lake Tribune. "We need to find her."

Police believe Madelyn’s disappearance to be an isolated incident. At the moment, they said they have no reason to believe that others are in danger. The FBI is assisting with the investigation, Walk said.

Snow College officials are urging the public to contact them if they had seen anything suspicious at Snow Hall at the time of Madelyn Allen's disappearance. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Sanpete County dispatch by calling 435-835-3345.