LAKEPORT, Calif. – A young Lakeport woman reported missing late last week has been located and is safe, according to police.
The Lakeport Police Department said it confirmed Monday evening that Amber Costner, 24, was located outside of California and is safe.
Costner, a wife and mother of three small children, left her home early Friday after making comments to her daughter the night before about no one seeing her again, police said.
On Saturday morning, Costner's Dodge van was found by police officers in the parking lot of a Safeway store in Crescent City. Officers also recovered an unloaded handgun from inside the vehicle, according to the Lakeport Police Department.
However, Crescent City Police found no sign of Costner, and Lakeport Police continued to try to locate her.
Throughout the weekend, thousands of people shared Costner's story across the United States on the Internet and on social media, Lakeport Police said.
There had been posts on social media beginning on Sunday indicating that she had been located, but the Lakeport Police Department told Lake County News early Monday evening that, at that point, they had still not been able to confirm her whereabouts.
However, within a few hours they were able to confirm that she was indeed safe.
“She is currently in communication with family and receiving all needed assistance,” according to the Lakeport Police report.
To protect her privacy, the agency said it would not release further details and was concluding its case.
The Lakeport Police Department thanked its staff for the ongoing investigation as well as the many community members who shared her information in the effort to find her.
Area residents continued posting about the case on Monday evening – but this time, it was about their relief that Costner was OK, along with additional expressions of caring and good wishes for her in the days ahead.
Costner's family has set up a Go Fund Me account to raise funds to pay for her costs at an out-of-state hospital. The page is at http://www.gofundme.com/2a6ea8fpc .
The fundraising goal is $8,400. As of Monday night, $1,335 had been raised.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
Police: Missing Lakeport woman located, safe
- Elizabeth Larson
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