Detectives Seek Help Tracking Down Missing 27-Year-Old Mother

LITTLE ROCK (CBSLA.com) — Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department detectives are seeking help in tracking down a young mother missing for nearly two weeks.

Monique Figueroa, 27, disappeared May 19 after leaving her home on East Avenue in Little Rock. She is the mother of a tw-year-old daughter.

"She's an amazing person, an amazing mother, a loyal friend," friend Veronica Garrett said.

Her vehicle, a 2004 Mercedes-Benz, was found Saturday in the Palmdale area.

"My sister wouldn't just get up and leave, and leave her daughter like that and disappear," Monique's brother Jeff said. "My sister always comes home every day no matter what."

Family members suspect the possibility of foul play in connection with her disappearance. Monique's family believes her former boyfriend belongs to a gang that may be responsible for the disappearance.

The Sheriff's Department says that, in February, he had been arrested and charged with murder.

"She was afraid that they would possibly kidnap her because of her knowledge," Monique's father said.

While Sheriff's deputies won't confirm the boyfriend's, or any gang's, involvement with the disappearance, they say that Monique would not cooperate with their murder investigation.

Monique's father says he received a text from her the day after she'd gone missing, which read, "Had to leave love you be back soon".

Now he is pleading with those who may have her to let her go.

"Please, you people that have her, let her go. No questions asked, just please bring my daughter home."

Detectives describe Figueroa as 5-foot-3, 140 pounds, with shoulder-length brown hair and hazel eyes.

Anyone with information regarding Figueroa or her disappearance is urged to contact the Sheriff's Department.