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2 Girls Visiting LA From Vietnam Reported Missing Left Tour Group On Their Own Free Will

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com)  —  Authorities say two girls, one 12 and the other 17, visiting Los Angeles from Vietnam who were originally reported missing left the airport on their own free will and apparently with their family's blessing.

The girls were last seen on the first floor at the baggage claim area of Terminal 7 at LAX, officials said.

The missing girls were separated from their travel group and were reported missing at 7:11 p.m., according to Airport Police Public Information Officer Rob Pedregon.

What was first a missing persons case, soon became just a mystery.

Most of the travel group speaks very little English. An officer who is fluent in Vietnamese helped with translation.

The group had spent two weeks in Hawaii and were headed to Santa Barbara, KCAL9's Cristy Fajardo reported.

The girls were last seen with a male adult who was unknown to their group.

Fajardo reported the girls never had any intention of going north with their group.

"The trouble was," she reported, "they never told the tour group of their plans."

The 17-year-old has a twin sister. She remained with the group.

Police said they spoke to the girl's families back in Vietnam and confirmed the girls planned to stay in Los Angeles. They described the parents as neither "forthcoming or concerned." They said the twin also did not seem concerned and the story of them missing was "not adding up."

Authorities said the girls left with unknown Asian males.

(©2015 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)

 

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