Police Searching for University Student Missing Since Taking Lyft Ride

Paula Liu
By Paula Liu
June 23, 2019US News
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Police Searching for University Student Missing Since Taking Lyft Ride
File photo showing police tape at night. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

Police are searching for a University of Utah student who has been missing after taking a Lyft ride home, according to multiple reports.

Mackenzie Lueck, 23, has not been seen or heard from for nearly a week following a Lyft ride from the airport to an address in North Salt Lake.

Lueck flew from the Los Angeles to Salt Lake City, arriving at around 1 a.m., according to ABC 4. She then took a ride-share service to her home in North Salt Lake.

She was returning from Southern California where she attended her grandmother’s funeral.

During the ride, Lueck reportedly told her parents via text that she was okay, according to the news outlet. Lueck’s father told Fox News that his daughter also sent him a text when her flight landed.

She arrived at her destination, authorities said, but what happened afterwards is still unclear.

Lueck’s parents said that they had not heard from her since and reported her missing on June 20.

Lueck’s friend, Ashley Fine, said that everyone who knows Lueck are worried she may be in danger. Lueck’s friends held an event at Liberty Park in Salt Lake City on June 22 to put up posters in an attempt to find her, ABC 4 reported.

“Things aren’t adding up,” Fine said. “She had another trip planned. She didn’t make that trip so far.”

Fine said she doesn’t suspect Lueck would have hurt herself, since she had made plans to visit family in California, ABC 4 reported.

“She’s making those plans with friends and family to have plans for the future,” Fine said, according to ABC 4. “I don’t think she would hurt herself or anything like that.”

However, despite what she believed, she hoped that Lueck would be safe, and according to the news outlet, had a message for her friend, wherever she was, “if you’re in a bad situation, please reach out. Reach out to police. We’re concerned for you.”

In a statement given to Fox News, Lyft said it is cooperating with police in their investigations surrounding Lueck’s disappearance.

“The safety of our community is fundamental to Lyft and we are actively assisting law enforcement with their investigations,” Lyft said in the statement, according to the broadcaster. They also mentioned in the statement that the route Lueck took was not out of the ordinary and “ended at the destination as originally entered by the rider.”

The driver who drove Lueck from the airport is still driving for Lyft, according to the company, Fox News reported.

Lueck was described as 5-foot-6 inches and approximately 120 pounds. She has blonde hair and brown eyes, Fox News reported.

Police officials said the investigation is still ongoing and currently do not any further details or clues as to Lueck’s whereabouts, according to ABC 4.. Investigators asked anyone that may have information pertaining to Leuck’s locations call authorities at 801-799-3000.

 

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