The mysterious disappearance of a 23-year-old Virginia mother from her front yard Tuesday morning has sparked concerns as authorities try to locate the woman. Identified as TerriLynn St. John, the mother of two went missing "under suspicious circumstances," Middlesex Sheriff’s Major Michael Sampson said Wednesday.

St. John was reported missing by her father Tuesday after he found out from his daughter’s co-workers that she did not show up for work. The family last heard from St. John in the early hours of Feb. 27. According to Sampson, St. John’s father visited his daughter’s home in Wake to check on her. He found the door open and saw that her children were alone inside the house. St. John's father was concerned about his daughter and alerted the sheriff’s office.

“The children had no injuries,” Sampson said, adding St. John's had planned to drop her children off at daycare before heading to work. He added the missing woman's car was found parked in the driveway.

According to CBS-affiliated WTVR, St. John's cellphone was found in bushes outside her home and a broken necklace was found in the front yard. However, the sheriff's office declined to comment on the cellphone and necklace, citing its ongoing investigation.

Sampson also said in the news conference Wednesday that investigation was in its early stage and thus it cannot be called an abduction at the time. He also said investigators have interviewed several persons of interest, adding that DNA samples were collected and authorities are awaiting reports.

“A person of interest could be acquaintances, whether they be personal acquaintances — friends, family,” Sampson said. “Miss St. John had a boyfriend at the time. He is obviously a person of interest.”

Asking for the community to come forward with information related to St. John and her whereabouts, Sampson said: “We’re hoping someone can come up and say something that they did not think about at the time... This is a tight community. Our community works together.”

A missing poster was also circulated by the Aware Foundation of Virginia. The poster described St. John as being 5 feet 6 inches tall, weighing 130 pounds and having blue eyes and blonde hair. It also mentioned she had tattoos that say “R.J.M.” on her right wrist, a princess crown on her left wrist and a cross on her ring finger.

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