Missing girl Kiely Rodni's mother addresses town hall to support law enforcement
Missing girl Kiely Rodni's mother, Lindsey Rodni-Nieman, speaks during a town hall during her daughter's search. (Credit: Derek Shook for Fox News Digital)
Kiely Rodni's mother believes an Amber Alert should have "been issued immediately" after the 16-year-old daughter vanished from a party in Truckee, California, over the weekend, but she wants the community to continue to "work together" and stay positive.
Rodni was last seen at a Tahoe National Forest campground party just after midnight on Aug. 6. No witnesses saw her leave the Prosser Family Campground, and authorities believe the teenager may have been abducted.
"The Amber Alert should have already been issued immediately," her mother, Lindsey Rodni-Nieman, said Wednesday while speaking to members of the community and a group of law enforcement officers at a town meeting.
Authorities have not issued an Amber Alert for Rodni at this time because there is no evidence confirming that the teenager was abducted — only suspicions.
KIELY RODNI: CALIFORNIA AUTHORITIES SEEKING ANYONE WHO SAW TEEN LEAVE FIVE DAYS AFTER DISAPPEARANCE
She called on the public to go to state legislators to change policies surrounding missing kids, such as when Amber Alerts are issued and for whom, but added that those hoping to find her daughter should focus on the positive.
"Please understand that the lack of any information, the lack of any new movement forward with this case, is not for a lack of resources, it's not for a lack of want, it's not for a lack of determination from everyone who I'm looking at," she said. "…So let's work together and let's focus on asking questions that will lead to positive results."
Rodni's father, Daniel Rodni, also spoke at the town meeting, saying his daughter is now the "community's daughter."
"She is no longer just our daughter. This is your kids. These are the parties that your kids are going to,' he said. "We need answers, and you need answers because when your kids turn 16, where are they going to go?… Kiely is your child, too."
Rodni-Nieman described her daughter as a "dynamic, wonderful, amazing human" while speaking to reporters Wednesday evening.
"She's funny and she's smart and she's interested in so many different things. She loves playing music. She has since she was a little girl. She loves — of course, being a teenager — she loves being with her friends. She's so interested in science and in medicine and in cooking," Rodni's mother said. "She taught herself how to make chocolate cakes from scratch when she was young, and they're actually good."
Rodni-Nieman added that she is "loving" and "warm and welcoming." She is "quick to want to make connections with whomever she's meeting" and makes "deep connections with so many people," which is why Rodni's mother believes the local response to finding the 16-year-old has been so strong.
Rodni was last seen at a large end-of-summer high school party in the Tahoe National Forest that stretched from Friday night into the early hours of Saturday.
Authorities conducted search efforts early Wednesday as dive teams entered the Prosser Creek Reservoir, looking near the shoreline for signs of Rodni or her silver Honda CRV, which is also missing. But they found no clues to lead them to Rodni's whereabouts.
Police said she last spoke with friends and family shortly after midnight on Aug. 6 and that her phone was turned off around 12:33 a.m. It last pinged near the Prosser Family Campground within Tahoe National Forest in Truckee at the site of a high school graduation party involving more than 300 teens and young adults from several surrounding communities — and a few from as far away as San Francisco. Authorities are still trying to find someone who witnessed Rodni leaving the party before she disappeared.
Police said they suspect there were drugs and alcohol present at the gathering, but are pleading with attendees to come forward with any information about possible Rodni sightings, promising not to punish anyone for partying.
The 16-year-old was wearing a black bodysuit and Dickies pants in surveillance footage captured hours before she disappeared.
Rodni is described as 5-foot-7 and about 118 pounds. She has blonde hair and hazel eyes. She has a tattoo on her ribs of the number "17." She has a nose ring and several other piercings. She drives a silver 2013 Honda CRV with California license plate 8YUR127. It has a small ram's head sticker on the back window, under the rear wiper blade.
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Anyone with information is asked to call the Placer County Sheriff’s Office’s dedicated tip line at 530-581-6320. Callers can remain anonymous.
The family is offering a $50,000 reward for Kiely’s return.
Fox News' Michael Ruiz contributed to this report.
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