Coastguard joins search for missing girl Chloe, 15

A distraught mother yesterday issued an emotional appeal for her missing teenage daughter to contact home.

As concern for Chloe Kinsella grew, gardaí called in the Shannon-based coastguard helicopter to assist in the search for the 15-year-old, missing since Saturday.

Chloe left the family home at Kenyon Avenue, Kileely, at about 8.30pm by going out a rear bedroom window, and may have been wearing pyjama bottoms and a black top.

Supt Daniel Keane, Henry St station, said: “We are quite concerned, as this is totally out of character for Chloe and this is why we called in the Shannon helicopter. A sweep of the Shannon has been carried up to Ardnacrusha with inflatable, inshore, rescue boats. Extensive searches of the river bank are also being carried out and we are also going through many CCTV systems from a wide area.”

Her family said it was out of character for Chloe to leave the house without telling her parents, Shirley and Kevin.

“This is killing me,” said Shirley. “I am broken-hearted that my little girl is missing and we don’t know where she is. We are devastated. There was no reason why she should leave home and any news over the past few days that she was found turned out to be false. My heart is broken. Please come home, Chloe.”

Classmates at St Nessan’s Community College in Moylish were given permission by the school yesterday to take part in the search.

Posters with her picture have been distributed throughout the city.

Chloe’s 23-year-old sister Lindsey said: “This is totally out of character for Chloe. She is always home at around 10pm, and if she is anyway delayed she would always ring our Mam, because she knows Mam would be worried as Chloe is the youngest girl.

“She is especially close to Mam ever since our younger sister, Sophie, died eight years ago when she was only four. She knows that our Mam is still not over Sophie’s death and she would never do anything that might cause Mam upset.”

Lindsey said Chloe was a very happy girl.

“She has never stayed away from home and there was nothing upsetting her,” said Lindsey. “I am very close to Chloe and she tells me everything. She was very happy because she had just got her tickets for the One Direction concert in Dublin next May and was very excited.

“She had loads of friends, but she did not have a boyfriend as such, although many of her friends are boys. We just can’t understand why she has not been in contact.

“She has two mobile phones, one she uses just for music. She left them in her bedroom, but that’s not unusual as she often left the house without taking them with here.

“Every night we would have a chat because we are so close. If she wanted to borrow clothes she would come to my room. If she had any problem we would talk about it, but she was happy and had no problems. If she had, I would know. There was nothing bothering her. If she was upset about anything she would let everybody know, that’s the kind of girl she is.”

Information on Chloe should be forwarded to Mayorstone Garda Station on 061 456980.