Jeff Garner has just returned from rural Oregon where his daughter, 17-year-old Hannah Thomas Garner, hasn't been seen since she vanished from a rural area on Nov. 29. He had been hanging posters and pounding the pavement, searching for his daughter - hoping someone had seen her.
Now, as Christmas approaches and the leads begin to dry up, he and his family are forced to face the inevitable thought: "Will she ever come home?" he says in an interview with HNGN.
Oregon Police have classified Hannah as a "runaway" - a catch-all term used to encompass cases where there is no sign of foul play.
"Our Hannah had no reason to leave - none," says Jeff. "On Thanksgiving, her biggest gripe was that she had to do the dishes. Does that sound like someone preparing to vanish?"
The Case
Hannah had lived in Oregon with her mother and stepfather. But hardly a day went by that she and Jeff, who lives in Texas, didn't talk or text each other. He still has the text messages.
"She's a wonderful daughter. We would text almost every day," Jeff says. "I knew everything that was going on with her, and there were no signs she was unhappy."
Jeff tells the story of his "happy" teenager - a strong student who was taking advanced courses to get a leg up on college, which she was scheduled to start in about 18 months.
"Her only C grade was in advanced algebra," Jeff adds. "She wanted to take all AP (advanced placement) courses.... Her goal was to become an occupational therapist."
The picture of what happened to her - or what she chose to do - on Nov. 29, 2014, is murky at best. In many ways, the facts raise more questions than answers.
hat's known is this: Police confirm that on that evening she went to a party near the 13-mile marker of Dead Indian Memorial Road in rural Jackson County, Ore. The party was to be a rave. Sources say drugs and alcohol were present among dozens of teens. Hannah never returned home after the party, and 48 hours later her car turned up near the city of Mt. Shasta, Calif. The car was damaged and abandoned 80 miles south from where the party took place.
"Inside her car were her keys, camera and her phone with the Sim card removed," Jeff says.
As police immediately gathered evidence, they found three witnesses at the party who told them the exact same story: that Hannah told them she had "five dollars in her pocket and a half tank gas and she wanted to get as far south as possible."
Police also located a witness who believes he picked Hannah up near Mt. Shasta City, Calif., and drove her toward Dunsmuir, Calif., on Dec. 1. But there have been no sightings since then.
Hannah's father spoke to that witness and he has doubts about his story.
"It just didn't sound like my daughter," Jeff says. "I truly don't think it was her."
What's more, sources confirm that police spoke to many of Hannah's classmates who believe there is no way she would have run away. Now, with no credible sightings and very little to go on, police remain in waiting mode. But sources tell HNGN there may be more to this story.
The Wait Continues
"I send her notes on Facebook every day: 'Call us if you can.' 'We miss you.' 'No one is mad at you. We just want you home,' " Jeff says. "I just hope nothing bad happened to her."
Sources close to the investigation confirm to HNGN that while police are treating this case as a "runaway," they are exploring all scenarios, including that Hannah might not have ever left the party and someone might have taken her car. Another theory - that she left the party and drove south but met with trouble along the way, forcing her to abandon her car - is also being explored.
For now, though, it's simply a waiting game.
"I hope someone sees her face and calls police. Please - please - we just want our daughter home," Jeff begs.
Soon he'll travel back to Oregon - to continue hanging posters in an attempt to keep his daughter's picture in the public eye.
"All I have is hope. Did something bad happen to her? I hope not. I have to remain hopeful," Jeff says, adding, "Please come home, Hannah."
POSTSCRIPT
Hannah Thomas Garner is 5-feet, 6-inches tall and weighs approximately 137 pounds. She has blonde hair and blue eyes. If you have any information about her whereabouts, please call the Ashland Oregon police at (541) 482-5211.
