Family pleads for missing woman’s return one week after she left home without shoes

OCOEE, Fla. — The husband and son of an Ocoee woman who disappeared last Friday say police haven’t been able to track her down – or the people she drove off with.

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Lynnette Harner, 64, was last seen leaving her house and getting into a silver-colored SUV with two unknown men. She was wearing a dark top and socks, but no shoes, according to a screenshot from her house’s doorbell camera.

Her family members said Harner has a history of mental illness and left home without her medication or changes of clothes. They said they believe her departure was connected to a group of people she became acquainted with during a recent incarceration for domestic violence.

In the last few weeks, the family said Harner has been picked up and dropped off from her house several times, with the group stopping at an ATM or bank so Harner could withdraw money to give to the others. None of those trips lasted longer than an overnight, son Nathaniel Harner said.

Read: Florida woman with Alzheimer’s missing for nearly a week found in nearby garage

“Trying to pretty much empty the bank account out completely. We were able to stop that,” the younger Harner explained, flanked by his emotional father. “As soon as there was no money left, they brought her back.”

However, he said while his mother’s account balances are currently at zero, she has not returned.

He said a man answered the phone when an attempt was made to call Lynnette’s phone, but the person quickly hung up.

Read: Ocoee police search for missing 64-year-old woman

Harner also said since the woman’s disappearance, multiple people attempted to cash checks with signatures that did not match his mother’s. The bank flagged those attempts.

Ocoee Police have put out multiple requests for information about Lynnette Harner’s whereabouts, but have not yet said whether they believe her life is in danger.

Read: Osceola County deputies to announce new partnerships to help find missing people

“It is still an active and ongoing investigation,” Lt. Mireya Iannuzzi wrote in an email Wednesday.

Nathaniel Harner said he has spent the week attempting to reach out to community members who may know where his mother is, or the people she’s staying with. He said he was concerned about her health since she did not appear to have access to her phone, her check book or her medication that needs to be taken daily.

“We’re not interested in getting anybody in trouble. We’re not interested in pressing any charges on anybody. We just want to know that she’s okay,” he said.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Ocoee Police Department.

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