Kiely Rodni: New photo shows teen hours before she vanished from camp party as Gwyneth Paltrow joins search
Authorities are investigating Kiely’s disappearance as an abduction
The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday
Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US
Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US
Authorities have released a new photo of missing teen Kiely Rodni that was taken hours before she vanished from a party at a California campground.
It’s been four days since 16-year-old Kiely was last seen around 12.30am on Saturday near the Prosser Family Campground in Truckee.
On Tuesday, the Placer County Sheriff’s Office released a new picture of Kiely captured by a surveillance camera at a Truckee business about six hours before she was last seen.
In the photo, the Kiely is wearing a black spaghetti strap bodysuit, green Dickies pants with a black grommet belt, and black Vans.
The development came as actor Gwyneth Paltrow used her social media following to increase awareness around the search by sharing a flyer with her more than eight million followers on her Instagram story.
Authorities are investigating Kiely’s disappearance as an abduction because her vehicle, a silver 2013 Honda CRV, is also missing.
Meanwhile, Kiely’s mother, Lindsay Nieman-Rodni, told ABC News that her daughter texted her around midnight and said she was going to leave the party in about 45 minutes.
“I told her to be safe and that I loved her. And she said, ‘OK, mom, I love you, too,’” Ms Rodni-Nieman told ABC. “She never came home.”
Kiely’s friend, Samantha Smith, 18, told The Independent she was the last person to speak with Kiely around 12.36am on Saturday.
“This is the last call anybody had with her. We said ‘love you, good night. Get home safe,’ and that’s the last thing we heard of her,” Samantha said on Monday.
A spokesperson for the sheriff’s office said that shortly after midnight Kiely’s phone was turned off.
The FBI, Homeland Security, California Highway Patrol and several other local law enforcement agencies have joined the Placer Sheriff’s Office in the search for Kiley.
More than 77 investigators have been canvassing the area on the ground and on-air since her disappearance. K-9 units are also being used.
The community has also organized several search parties with a massive turnout. On Tuesday, a teen-to-teen meeting took place in Tahoe City where teenagers were encouraged to disclose information about what happened during the party.
“We’re not interested in [investigating teenage drinking], we’re only looking to find Kiely,” public information officer Angela Musullam told The Independent on Monday.
A $50,000 reward is being offered for leads that help find Kiely. Friends of the teenager have also started a GoFundMe to increase the reward. Nearly $30,000 has been raised as of Wednesday morning.
Anyone with information is asked to email Sheriff_TahoeInvest@placer.ca.gov, contact Detective Stephanie Frykberg at (530) 392-5609, or call the anonymous tip line at (530) 581-6320.