Barcelona police are searching for Julia, a 17-year-old who has been missing from the city for a week. Her family and friends know her as “Lili” or “Lilyth”, and they have been looking for her since she was last seen on Friday, 22nd.
Julia is described as 1.67 metres tall, with a normal build, brown hair and brown eyes. Family sources say she often wears alternative clothing and make-up. When she was last seen, she was wearing a blue dress and carrying a black backpack. Her family expected to hear from her on Sunday, 24th, as usual, but she did not make contact. They also said she had recently lost her mobile phone, which has made communication harder.
Family sources have pointed to a possible sighting on Wednesday, 27th, near the Museum of Contemporary Art of Barcelona (MACBA) in the Raval district. They also say there are concerns she may have been in parts of Raval linked to drug use and sales, including so-called narcopisos, or in informal settlements on Montjuïc.
There are also concerns that Julia could be with a man alleged to be involved in drug trafficking. According to the family, he approaches young women and offers them substances. They say police are following this line of inquiry. Her family has not ruled out the possibility that she may be attending self-organised raves or other alternative gatherings she has been to before.
Meanwhile, her family and neighbours have stepped up search efforts across Barcelona. They have set up a WhatsApp broadcast channel to share updates and possible sightings, and neighbourhood groups are organising searches in different parts of the city. The Mossos d’Esquadra confirmed to El Periódico that an open investigation is under way to locate her.
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Originally published by El Periódico Barcelona. Read original article.
