Crime & Safety

Missing St. Joseph's Student Found Safe in Alameda

Elisabeth Griffith, the 15-year-old St. Joseph Notre Dame High School sophomore who was reported missing by her parents last Friday, was found safe in Alameda this afternoon, an Alameda Police Department spokesperson said.

Lt. Jill Ottaviano said Elisabeth showed up at St. Joseph's today and her school counselor notified police.

Detectives were interviewing Elisabeth shortly after 3 p.m., and the girl's mother, Janet Griffith, arrived at Alameda police headquarters shortly before 3:30 p.m., Ottaviano said.

She said Elisabeth appeared to be unharmed and her disappearance appears to be voluntary, although police are still investigating. 

Alameda police are assisting the Oakland Police Department with the case, Ottaviano said.

Elisabeth, who lives in Oakland's Rockridge neighbrhood, was reported missing to the Oakland Police Department when she failed to return home from an after-school shopping trip to South Shore Center on Friday, Sept. 13, her mother said Wednesday.

She said Elisabeth attended classes at St. Joseph's that day, then went to South Shore with friends.

Elisabeth and other members of the group returned to the St. Joseph's campus when an expected ride home from South Shore failed to materialize, Janet Griffith said. Elisabeth was last seen about 6 p.m. Friday at St. Joseph's, she said.

Since then, the family has posted flyers in Alameda's West End, has listed her as missing with 1-800-RUNAWAY and has posted messages for their daughter on Elisabeth's Facebook page, Griffith said.

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