Katie Vaclaw

Oklahoma Family Pleads for Help to Find Missing Woman with Special Needs

An Oklahoma family is pleading for the public’s help to find a woman with special needs who has gone missing, Fox 23 reports.

Katie Vaclaw, 40, has not been seen or heard from by her loved ones since around 9 p.m. Friday. It was around that time when Vaclaw is believed to have left a “Night to Shine” dance for people with special needs at the Cox Business Convention Center in Tulsa.

Vaclaw is said to have told a friend that she needed to use the bathroom and then disappeared. Relatives say she may have been upset that her longtime caregiver was planning to pursue other endeavors.

The woman’s mother, Robbie, said she is worried about her daughter and wants to make sure she is safe.

“Well I’ve cried on and off a whole lot today,” Robbie told Fox 23. “It’s hard but we have a lot of faith, we know that she’s gotten back before, so we’re hoping she gets back safe this time.”

Vaclaw has been reported missing and later found in 2012 and 2017, according to local media. She has developmental disabilities and Prader-Willi Syndrome, which causes intense hunger cravings. She also requires medication.

Authorities said Vaclaw is about 4-foot-5 and weighs around 102 pounds, with light brown hair and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing a long, peach-colored dress and a white jacket.

To report information about Vaclaw or her whereabouts, call the Tulsa Police Department at 918-596-9222.

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[Feature Photo via Facebook]