After an interview, officers determined that Sydney wasn’t a danger to herself or others. They said the legal criteria for an emergency detention order weren’t met.
HOUSTON — The Jersey Village Police Department issued a statement later Friday that explained why they chose not to hold 24-year-old Sydney Marquez, who was reported missing more than three weeks ago.
According to JVPD, a person called 911 on Friday around 1 a.m. after spotting a woman walking along a road that matched Sydney’s description.
Officers responded to the scene and found her along Seattle Street near Senate Avenue, just off the Northwest Freeway.
The officers said they recognized her from missing person flyers that were previously distributed by Texas EquuSearch.
Jersey Village PD said an officer contacted the Houston Police Department, which is the lead agency in the missing person case, and told the detective assigned to the case where Sydney had been found. Sydney’s father, Raul Marquez, also called JVPD and told them that his daughter has a history of mental health issues. He said he was in El Paso but would be getting on the first available flight to Houston.
Here’s video from the encounter between Sydney and police officers early Friday morning:
Medical professionals showed up and took her vitals and found no signs of trauma or need for further evaluation.
After interviewing Sydney, officers determined that she wasn’t a danger to herself or others. They said the legal criteria for an emergency detention order were not met.
KHOU 11 News obtained exclusive Ring Doorbell video showing part of the encounter between Sydney and the responding officers.
“Right now, they’re saying you’re a missing person. We have an obligation,” one officer is heard saying.
“OK, you found me. Congratulations. I’m 24 years old. I am an adult. I am not missing. You found me,” Sydney said in response.
Raul Marquez got in touch with the Texas Counter-Trafficking Initiative, which sent a representative to the police department. After initially agreeing to leave with the representative, Sydney later declined to do so after talking to him.
The representative asked Sydney to contact her parents, and she said she would reach out to her mom via email at some point.
Sydney asked to leave and said she didn’t want any assistance. JVPD said she was released before her parents got there, and she was removed from missing status.
“At the time of the encounter, Sydney did not appear to be in crisis. As an adult, she was removed from missing status and released,” JVPD said in a statement.
Police said they offered to help her, including hotel accommodations and food, but she declined. She was last seen walking along the Northwest Freeway near Senate Avenue.
JVPD officers met with Sydney’s parents to review the body-worn camera footage. At their request, that footage won’t be released to the public. Her parents asked that if anyone sees Sydney, they call the police to conduct a welfare check.
Family members said Sydney is bipolar and hasn’t been taking her medicine. They said they think she should have been brought to a hospital for questioning.
Authorities said there is no indication that criminal activity is involved, and anyone with more information about the case is asked to call JVPD at 713-466-5824.
Originally went missing in southwest Houston
According to the Houston Police Department, Sydney Marquez first went missing near the 9100 block of Bellaire Boulevard, close to Ranchester Road, on Dec. 11.
Search efforts focused on the surrounding Asiatown area, where volunteers and investigators canvassed businesses for surveillance video. KHOU 11 previously obtained video showing Marquez walking northbound along Ranchester Road on the night she disappeared.
Search organizers said the footage did not indicate she was in distress.
“It didn’t look like she was in distress, like a normal walk, not running, not staggering,” said Tim Miller with Texas EquuSearch. “It certainly appeared to be a normal walk.”
Family pleaded for help during search
Marquez’s family spent days publicly urging anyone with information to come forward as the search intensified across southwest Houston.
“If you see my daughter, if she’s endangered. Please don’t stay quiet,” her father, Raul Marquez, said during a news conference. “If you see something, if you know something, please say something. I miss my daughter. She needs to come home.”
Mental health concerns previously shared
Family members previously said Marquez struggles with mental health challenges and was not taking her medication at the time she disappeared. Her father said she had wandered off alone before.
On the night she went missing, family members said Marquez was visiting friends in Houston and left alone after several hours.
Got a news tip or story idea? Email us at newstips@khou.com or call 713-521-4310 and include the best way to reach you.