A Staff Report
It’s been six long years since the disappearance of Abby Lynn Patterson. On September 5, 2017, Abby vanished without a trace, leaving her friends, family, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation searching for answers.
Abby Lynn Patterson, a 20-year-old woman, was last seen in Lumberton, North Carolina, on that fateful day in 2017. She had left home with a promise to her mother that she would return within an hour.
Born on February 15, 1997, to Samantha Lovette, Abby is a white female with brown hair, brown eyes, standing at 5 feet 7 inches and weighing 140 pounds. She has distinctive features—a tattoo of three black birds on her shoulder and a birthmark on the back of her left thigh.
On the last correspondence day with her mom and grandmother, Abby was dressed in a white shirt and brown shorts when she disappeared.
The last confirmed sighting of Abby was by her grandmother at her residence on East 9th Street in Lumberton. At approximately 11:30 am, Abby sent a text message to her mother, indicating her intention to spend time with old high school friends and assured her that she would be back within an hour. This was the last contact any of her family had with her.
Neighbors recall seeing Abby walking down the street toward Inglewood Avenue later that day, where she got into a brown Buick sedan parked on Park Avenue. Unfortunately, Abby never returned home, and all attempts to reach her by phone went unanswered, leading her mother to file a missing person’s report with the Lumberton Police Department at 6:00 pm.
The driver of the brown Buick, an acquaintance of Abby’s, reported dropping her off at an undisclosed location. However, authorities have remained tight-lipped about the specific drop-off point and have not publicly identified the driver.
Abby’s mom, Samantha, stated in an email today, “Today my Abby has been missing (6) six long years. It’s a mother’s worst nightmare.”
Given the mysterious circumstances surrounding Abby’s disappearance, foul play is strongly suspected. Her case is classified as missing and remains unsolved to this day. A reward of $10,000 is being offered for any information that could lead to finding Abby.
If you have any information regarding Abby Lynn Patterson’s disappearance, don’t hesitate to contact the Lumberton Police Department at (910) 671-3845 or the FBI’s Charlotte Field Office at (704) 672-6100. The Agency Case Number for Abby’s disappearance is 2017-32652. The search for answers continues, and any lead, no matter how small, could be crucial in resolving this perplexing case.
The FBI has released a video on Facebook about Abby’s disappearance. The video is linked below, and her family and friends ask for the public to please share the video.
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