The family of Escondido teen Amber Dubois, last seen in February, plans on a birthday picnic and vigil, according to a published report.
The events are planned for Sunday at Dixon Lake Park, in the 1700 block of North La Honda Drive in Escondido, reported the North County Times. The potluck lunch will begin at 1:30 p.m. and a lakeside vigil will begin at 6 p.m., the family announced Wednesday.
The event is open to the public. People are encouraged to bring their own food and drinks or bring food to share.
The 14-year-old was last seen just after 7 a.m. on Feb. 13 about a block from Escondido High. The girl's parents said she was especially excited to get to school to exchange Valentine's Day gifts with friends. She also couldn't wait to pay for her baby lamb through the school's Future Farmer's of America program.
The teen's cell phone was activated for a few seconds the Saturday after she was last seen. Investigators conducted a computer forensics search of the teenager's computer but said nothing on the computer offered up any clues as to the girl's whereabouts.
Volunteers launched a door-to-door search the weekend after Amber's disappearance. In the weeks that followed, family and friends held candlelight vigils and organized search parties to cover areas of Escondido and parts of the North County.
Even the television program "America's Most Wanted" profiled the case. The family told producers of the show that Amber sent four texts to her grandmother before leaving the house that morning for the roughly mile-long walk to school. Amber was last seen by two family friends only about 300 yards from the school's gate.
Amber’s family said she was a model student who never talked about running away and that they believe she was abducted.
