Crime & Safety

Reward spikes to $65K for missing student

San Mateo resident Michelle Le was last seen leaving a Hayward hospital on May 27.

The reward for a missing San Mateo woman has increased with pledges from her workplace and the university where she was enrolled in a nursing program, a university spokeswoman said.

Samuel Merritt University and Turner Construction Company have pledged a combined $45,000 reward, totaling $65,000 when combined with family contributions and donations for information leading to 26-year-old Michelle Le's safe return.

Le went missing on May 27 at 7 p.m. from Kaiser Permanente Hayward Medical Center at 27303 Sleepy Hollow Ave. Le told classmates she was planning to drive to Reno after her rotation at the Kaiser hospital in Hayward. She left during a break and did not return, according to Hayward police.

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Le has worked with Turner Construction Company part-time as an accounting clerk for five years, Samuel Merritt University spokeswoman Elizabeth Valente said.

In January, Le enrolled at Samuel Merritt's Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program and is a graduate of San Francisco State University, she said.

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"Our family members are incredibly thankful for this donation and appreciative of Samuel Merritt University and Turner Construction," Le's brother Michael Le said. "One hundred percent of the funds will be used towards finding Michelle and keeping the spirit of her search alive."

FBI spokeswoman Julianne Sohn said the FBI has been in close contact with the Hayward police and "have made every appropriate resource available to them."

Le's family created a website, michellelemissing.com, which includes a family phone number, 510-303-3013, for people to call to share any information about Le, along with contact numbers for Hayward police.

The family also created a Facebook page, "Help Find Michelle Hoang Thi Le - Missing from San Mateo, California."

Hayward police spokesman Lt. Roger Keener said police are continuing to investigate leads and have identified several persons of interest but have not made any arrests.

Le is 5 feet 6 inches tall with black hair and brown eyes.

Anyone with information about Le's whereabouts is encouraged to call Hayward police at 510-293-7000.

-Bay City News


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