Have you seen this girl? Her name is Maria, and she’s been missing from her home in Ħamrun for over a week now. Her family is desperate for any information that could lead to her safe return. This is not just another missing person case; it’s a story of a vibrant young woman who left behind a trail of laughter and love, and a community that’s rallying to bring her home.

Maria, a 23-year-old student at the University of Malta, was last seen on the evening of Monday, 13th September. She had spent the day at the university library, working on her thesis. According to her roommate, she left their shared apartment in Ħamrun around 7 PM, saying she was going for a walk to clear her head. That was the last time anyone heard from her.

Her phone was found the next day, abandoned near the Grandmaster’s Palace in Valletta. The battery was dead, and there were no clues as to where she might have gone. The police are treating her disappearance as a high-priority case, but they need the public’s help to find her.

The search for Maria has taken the community by storm. Flyers with her photo and details have been plastered across the island, from the bustling streets of Paceville to the quiet lanes of Rabat. Social media has been flooded with posts about Maria, with the hashtag #FindMariaMalta trending on local platforms.

Volunteers have been scouring the streets, parks, and beaches, hoping to find any clue that could lead them to Maria. They’ve been joined by her family, who have been tirelessly searching for their daughter, their faces etched with worry and hope.

“We just want her to come home,” says Maria’s mother, her voice choking with emotion. “She’s our sunshine, and our home is not the same without her.”

If you have any information about Maria, no matter how small or insignificant it may seem, please contact the police on 119 or the Missing Persons Unit on 21242000. You can also reach out to the volunteers searching for Maria on their official Facebook page.

Let’s bring Maria home. Let’s show her that she’s not alone, that the entire community is searching for her, and that we won’t stop until she’s safely back with her family.

As Maria’s father says, “Someone out there knows something. Please, if you know anything, come forward. Help us bring our daughter home.”