Girl Who Vanished for Nine Months Is Very Weak, Malnourished
Abigail Hernandez's family said she is unable to eat solid food
— -- The teenage girl who disappeared nine months ago before reappearing at her New Hampshire home last week is severely malnourished and not eating solid foods, her family said today.
"Right now, Abby is resting, extremely tired and in deteriorated health, and has lost a lot of weight. She is working to build her strength back and we hope soon she will be back on solid foods," the family said in a statement that they released on a website they created to help find her.
The 15-year-old has reportedly met with investigators every day since she walked back into her Conway, New Hampshire, home on July 20.
Where Was Missing Teen Abigail Hernandez for the Past 9 Months?
Police have been able to release a sketch of the suspect who they believe drove away with her when she was walking home from school on Oct. 9.
"Abigail described the man as having darkish skin, dark brown eyes, black stubble facial hair, and a large build, who was slightly overweight and slightly taller than she was (5-foot-4")," the New Hampshire Attorney General's office said last week.
She reportedly told investigators that the man was driving a navy blue pick up truck. New Hampshire State Police have released the sketch in hopes of getting more information about this possible suspect.
They have refrained from releasing any further details about the case because the investigation is ongoing, but they have maintained throughout that they believe one or more individuals were responsible for kidnapping and detaining her for nearly a year.
"We have said from the beginning and we continue to believe that this was a 14-year-old girl who went missing in October," Associate Attorney General Jane Young told ABC News. "She was gone for nine months. She didn't have the means to orchestrate and facilitate this on her own."
Abby has been visited by friends since returning home, some of whom have spoken out about her progress.
"Abby is very thin and weak. We continue to work towards getting her to eat," her friend Amanda Smith said on the family's website. "Abby has shown incredible courage thru [sic] this. She is beyond grateful to be home and is just relaxing, resting, trying to get her health back."