California teen vanishes during layover at Denver International Airport on way home from mental health center

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A teen heading back to her home in California allegedly never made it back, with authorities saying that the last time she was seen was at a layover at Denver International Airport.

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children said that 15-year-old Harper Cadman went missing at the Denver International Airport on Jan. 30.

“Harper never got on her flight back home and is believed to still be in the Denver or Boulder, Colorado, area,” an announcement from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children said.

The organization said that the teen was last seen when she landed in Denver around 8:27 a.m. on Jan. 30 for a layover on her way back to California. 

MISSING HIKER FOUND DEAD NEAR ARIZONA PEAK

Harper Cadman, 15, landed at DIA at about 8:27 a.m. on Jan. 30 for a layover on her way home to California. (National Center for Missing and Exploited Children)

In a Facebook post, Cadman’s mother, Ari Petronelli, wrote a heartfelt message about her daughter’s disappearance.

“I am sick to my stomach writing this, and I never thought that I would ever have to post another missing flier of my own child but if anything this last year has taught me is that life just doesn’t make sense,” Petronelli wrote in a Facebook post.

Petronelli explained that her daughter was heading back to their home in California from Montana, but never made her United Airlines connecting flight.

She said that her daughter was participating in a mental health treatment center in Montana at the time of the incident.

“As many of you know, Harper was in treatment for mental health last year and while being transferred from Montana back to California, she disappeared during her layover in the Denver airport on 1/30 at 8:30 AM from a United Airlines flight,” Petronelli explained.

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children is asking the public for help finding Harper Cadman. (National Center for Missing and Exploited Children)

Cadman is described as being 5’7″ and around 115 pounds. 

She has blue eyes and black dyed hair. Her nose is pierced, and she has tattoos on her waist and the middle finger of her left hand. She also has braces.

DAD BEAT DAUGHTER, THEN ATE FAST FOOD AND DID DRUGS AS SHE DIED IN BACK SEAT OF CAR, PROSECUTORS ALLEGE

Her mother said she was last seen wearing a white True Religion sweater, black leggings, and black boots. She had nothing else with her while traveling.

She is described as 5 feet, 7 inches tall and weighing 115 lbs. She has blue eyes, hair dyed black, braces, a nose piercing, and tattoos on her waist and the middle finger of her left hand. (National Center for Missing and Exploited Children)

Officials believe she is still in the Denver or Boulder areas. 

According to her family, she does not know anyone in Colorado. 

If you have any information about Harper’s disappearance, please contact NCMEC at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) or the Denver Police Department at 1-720-913-2000.

The Denver Police Department did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

Sarah Rumpf-Whitten is a breaking news writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. 

She is a native of Massachusetts and is based in Orlando, Florida.

Story tips and ideas can be sent to sarah.rumpf@fox.com and on X: @s_rumpfwhitten.