GLOUCESTER, Mass. — Police and Coast Guard crews are actively investigating the disappearance of Abbie Flynn, 59, who has been missing since late Sunday afternoon. They are asking for the public’s help in finding her.
Flynn, of East Gloucester, was last seen around 4:30 p.m. by her son in the area of Farrington Ave., according to Ed Conley, Chief of Gloucester Police. An avid hiker and wildlife enthusiast, Flynn told her son she might go for a walk, Conley added.
“Right now there’s no indication of foul play,” Conley said. “We’re working primarily under the theory that she did what she said she was going to do, which was take a walk ... and perhaps either got lost or had a medical incident or something that rendered her incapacitated.”
Flynn was reported missing to Gloucester Police around 6 p.m., when guests arrived for her Super Bowl party to find her missing.
“There was indication that she had been at home, she had prepared for the party, but she was not there,” Conley said. “When she didn’t arrive after a little while, they called the Gloucester Police Department and reported her missing.”
Conley said approximately 80 officers have been searching for her since 8 p.m. Sunday.
The U.S. Coast Guard had been searching the water off Brace Cove, an area she has been known to frequent, Conley said. The Coast Guard and State officials had also conducted searches by flight.
By Monday evening, authorities conducted extensive searches for Flynn along the paths and woods around the area where she went missing, along with a thorough search of the coastline.
Although the ground and water search has been suspended, the case remains an active investigation at this time.
“It’s hard, I’m 60 myself so I can’t imagine, you know, going out for a walk as we often do here around this beautiful area and to have something happen like that, it’s devastating,” said Jane Hartson. “Hopefully everybody’s searching wherever they are, they’re looking, even driving around they’re looking, red coat, that’s a good indicator, we know what she was wearing, her face is out there.”
Officials said Flynn did not have her cell phone with her and that they found it at her home.
She is said to be 5-foot-5 and 200 pounds with brown hair. She was last wearing a red jacket, according to a news release.
Anyone with information on Flynn’s whereabouts, or who sees someone matching Flynn’s description, is asked to call the Gloucester Police Department at (978) 283-1212.
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