The family of a Texas realtor who went missing last week is desperately trying to track her down as Houston is ravaged by hurricane flooding.
According to NBC News, Crystal Seratte McDowell has not been seen or heard from since Friday. Her last contact was a text message to her uncle Jeff, who is a father figure to the 38-year-old woman who lost her parents as a child.
“This happened before the storm, which we think is really important for people to know,” Jeff Walters told Dateline. “And now with all the flooding and everything down here, we feel even more helpless.”
McDowell, a successful real estate agent, is known for keeping in close contact with friends, family, and business associates, and it is very unusual for her to be out of touch for this long — especially as many of her loved ones are affected by the devastation of Hurricane Harvey.
The missing mother had been temporarily sharing a residence with her ex-husband while she had work done on her townhouse. Walters said he contacted the ex-husband after McDowell stopped responding to messages.
“He said she had sent him a message saying she was coming to pick up the kids to go to Dallas, but she didn’t show,” Walters told Dateline. “We aren’t sure she sent those messages to him, though. She never told me of plans to go to Dallas for the storm.”
Police reportedly searched the home and found nothing of significance, but they were able to salvage some computer files that had been erased by a factory reset. The contents of those files are unknown. Walters, who works with Crystal at a family-run real estate agency, said the company was not able to access her work computer to see if she made it to her Friday appointments.
Authorities would not reveal any details of the investigation to NBC News.
Crystal Seratte McDowell is a caucasian blonde, 5’4” tall, and weighing 120 lbs.
Anyone with information is urged to call the Chambers County Police Department at (409) 267-2500.
Feature photo: Facebook