A California woman who was reported missing after she disappeared in Houston has been found safe, ending a week-long search spearheaded by her husband.
Danielle Friedland, 36, was receiving mental health treatment in Houston. The mother was discharged and ready to fly back to her husband and two children last Wednesday in time for Thanksgiving, where she would continue treatment. Danielle never boarded her flight at George Bush Intercontinental Airport, which set off a search.
Local authorities said they believed Danielle left the airport in a taxi with a small amount of cash. Her family swiftly took a flight from Piedmont to Houston.
For a time, they believed Danielle was located in the city's downtown area, near Trinity Park. After receiving a tip, the woman's loved one's scoured Buffalo Bayou near Memorial Park Tuesday, planning to resume the search the following day.
The mother's family, with the help of the Houston Police Department, found Danielle late Tuesday night saying they "located" her and subsequently "made contact." The family offered no further details to how they found Danielle, according to The Daily Beast.
READ MORE: More than 450,000 people off work long-term with mental health issues last year
"We are relieved to say that around 2.30am last night, with the help of the Houston Police Department, we were able to locate Dani, make contact with her, and she is now safe," her family said in a statement released Wednesday. "We wanted to express our deepest gratitude to the Houston community for everything you did to help us find Dani. We were welcomed in with open arms, and without exception received help, love, and incredible support."
The family specifically thanked Houston Police Chief Troy Finner, along with Commanders Micheal Faulhaber and Chris Hassig, for "their tireless work and determination" to find Danielle. Additionally, they mentioned the Impact Houston Church who they said offered them food and assistance. "We will forever be grateful for the assistance your congregation provided."
During the search, Danielle's husband, Jordan, expressed how worried he was for his wife because she was lost in a foreign area. “One of the scariest things for me is that Dani doesn’t know Houston,” Jordan said. “She doesn’t have friends or family here. She doesn’t have her luggage, her credit cards, her phone and I just can’t imagine how scary that must be.” He added: “We have a 2 and 5-year-old and she's the best mom in the world and their world won't be the same without her.”
The Menniger Clinic, where Danielle was receiving treatment, said its hands were tied during the search due to patient confidentiality. Therefore, officials were unable to confirm the status of any patient or provide any information without consent.