Gardaí seek help as missing teen makes contact

GARDAÍ investigating a missing persons case in Cork city have issued a public appeal for help tracing a car.

The new appeal came yesterday as a teenage girl, who had been missing from her home on the city’s northside since April 27, made telephone contact with her family.

However, while gardaí are satisfied that 16-year-old Jennifer O’Driscoll is well, they are still anxious to establish her exact whereabouts.

Gardaí believe she may be in the west Cork area and in the company of a youth of a similar age.

The last positive sighting of Jennifer was on April 27 at the North Mall.

She is described as 5ft 2in tall, with long, dyed auburn hair, blue eyes and is of slim build.

Anybody with information is asked to contact Mayfield Garda Station at 021-455 8510.

Meanwhile, a young man in his mid 20s went missing in the early hours of Saturday morning from the High Street area of Ballinlough in Cork.

His silver grey Nissan Micra, registration number 97 C 11617, which was parked on the road until 4am that morning, has not been seen since.

The young man has not made contact with his family or friends.

It is thought that he may have driven away in a distressed state after receiving bad news.

He was last seen wearing a blue T-shirt and green trousers.

Gardaí are examining CCTV footage from the area in an effort to trace the vehicle’s movements.

The man’s family, who have asked that his identity not be made public, say it is completely out of character for him to behave like this, and not make contact with them, and they are said to be extremely worried for his safety.

A Garda spokesman appealed to the public to keep an eye out for the vehicle, which may have been parked somewhere else over the last 48 hours.

“Any sightings of this vehicle should be reported to gardaí at Anglesea Street on tel: [phone] or the Garda Confidential Line, 1800 666 111,” the spokesman said.