Greek authorities are intensifying their search for 16-year-old Laura, who has been missing from her home in Patras since January 8. Recent reports indicate that she was seen in the Athens suburb of Vari, reigniting efforts to locate her after more than a week of uncertainty. New findings indicate that the teen’s disappearance was not sudden but the result of a carefully considered plan following a family dispute in late October. According to police reports, a major argument at the family home in Rio prompted Laura to finalize her decision to leave. She reportedly spent around two and a half months planning her escape, including researching ways to leave without attracting attention.
A café owner in Vari reported that Laura visited his shop twice in one day, requesting Wi-Fi access. During her second visit, she fled when a television broadcast featured her disappearance. Surveillance footage supports that the girl matches Laura’s description. Notably, her purchases were made with a foreign bank card, and she was later seen boarding a bus toward Glyfada.
Additional video footage shows Laura walking outside a hair salon in the Zografou area of Athens. Eyewitnesses describe her wearing a cap and hood, behaving cautiously, and engaging briefly with shopkeepers before leaving.
People who know Laura have told authorities that she faced significant psychological pressure from her father. Some described her as anxious about being monitored, with limited access to her phone, and under constant stress at home.
Meanwhile, German authorities located Laura’s half-brother in Hamburg, who reported that he had had limited contact with her and was unaware of any plans to visit him. Reports suggest that she had been planning her disappearance for months, using ChatGPT to seek guidance on leaving home without drawing attention.
Authorities are focusing their search on the triangle of Ilisia, Goudi, and Zografou, near student dormitories and the university campus, as well as central Athens, based on witness reports. Since Laura is over 15, police cannot obtain a court order to access her phone records, making eyewitness accounts and mobile signal tracking the primary investigative tools. Investigators are also considering the possibility that she may have changed her location to mislead the search.
A key element in the ongoing investigation is a phone call Laura made to a radio taxi service, during which she provided a specific address and drop-off point. Police are analyzing the audio in detail to determine her emotional state at the time, looking for signs of fear or distress.
Evidence suggests that Laura has strategically used her movements and digital activity to misdirect authorities. Video footage captured her walking through streets such as Mikras Asias, Georgiou, and Daphnis, areas covered by surveillance cameras, which may have been intended to divert attention from her possible location near the university campus. Social media activity is also being reviewed, as posts indicate fear and experiences of abuse, including prior stays in German shelters following reports of mistreatment by her father.
Her father confirmed that Laura has not been in contact with the family and expressed uncertainty about her whereabouts, noting that she had not intended to travel to Germany and may have arranged meetings in Athens through social media.
The teenager’s disappearance, now in its eighth day, remains a priority for the Greek police, with a heightened sense of urgency due to her age and the potential risk to her safety. Police continue to search extensively across central Athens, including homes, Airbnbs, and other locations where she could be staying. Authorities are also examining her relationships with family and acquaintances to aid in locating her.
