The parents of Ella Hysom have issued a desperate plea for information 48 hours after the 15-year-old Colchester girl went missing from Goodmayes Hospital.
Ella was last seen walking towards the Cineworld in Clements Road, Ilford at about 1.20pm on Monday.
She had been receiving treatment at nearby Goodmayes Hospital for depression.
Her mother Alison and father Tim, both from Colchester, today spoke a press conference in Ilford and pleaded for their daughter to get in touch.
Mrs Hysom said: “Ella please get in contact we love you so much. You are so loved by all your friends and family we just want you back. If you are seeing this darling, please get in touch.”
She described her daughter, who is believed to be a student at The Gilberd School in the Highwood area of Colchester, as confident and attractive.
She added: “She’s really gregarious and outgoing - she’s just a lovely person.
“She has been suffering from depression and is likely to be anxious and displaying signs of being anxious.”
Mr Hysom said: “She can be extremely confident and friendly might approach people because of that. If that’s happened please let police know.
“We are trying to stay as strong as possible. Sitting crying is not going to help anybody but it’s difficult.”
Her parents, who have two other children, said they found out she was missing after receiving a phone call from the hospital.
She is described as white, 5ft 7ins and was wearing blue jeans, a green hooded jumper and Ugg boots when she was last seen.
Police say they are extremely concerned for her welfare and are asking anyone who has seen her, or has any information about her whereabouts, to call police on 020 8345 2751 or the police non-emergency line on 101.
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