SAN DIEGO (KGTV) - New information about a local woman who went missing more than a week ago.
Posters have been popping up in Ocean Beach, a day after her car was found abandoned near Sunset Cliffs. Ashley Wainio said she can not imagine someone possibly going missing in her hometown.
"You can have a bad day and then you go to Ocean Beach and then it's all better," she said.
Wainio is familiar with the recent news of a missing woman.
"It's not my first time seeing it. I saw it online," she said.
She has never met or seen Debra Puente, but thinks posters hanging around O.B. Pier should help in her search.
"Every time somebody sees that face, it's planting a seed, you know? Whether we know we remember or not, that face is engrained in us," said Wainio.
Puente disappeared Tuesday, March 28 after work, following a night out with friends. She was last seen near Mission Gorge and Friars Road. But her car was found on Wednesday, April 26 on Santa Cruz avenue in O.B.
Her daughter, Ashleigh Tarango, said her mom frequented the bars there, but it is unusual for her to be gone for so long.
"I want her to know that she's loved and that we just want her to be safe and be okay," said Tarango.
Meantime, Wainio and others in the O.B. community are hopeful information will be brought to light.
"Somebody will come out of the woodworks," said Wainio. San Diego Poloce said they have no evidence indicating foul play. But they are considering Puente 'at risk' because she has been gone for over a week and her family is very concerned.
Detectives said they checked her car, but have since turned it back over to her family.
They have not been able to track her cell phone.
SDPD is asking anyone with information, or anyone who has seen Puente within the last week and a half to call 619-531-2000 or Detective Shelly Luna with the department's missing person's unit at 619-531-2277.
