'Let her come home': Family pleads for help finding missing Houston mom last seen leaving workplace

Authorities in Texas are asking the public for help finding a 21-year-old mother who disappeared more than a week ago from her workplace in Houston.

Deundrea Lakelsia Ford, was last seen on Sept. 21 near the 11900 block of the East Freeway in Houston, the Houston Police Department' Missing Persons Unit reported in a release dated Tuesday.

The mother was last seen about 1 a.m. getting into a white van with an unidentified man outside Diva's Bikini Sports Bar, Ford's family members told local media including KHOU 11 and Fox 26. She had worked for "only a few weeks" and they believe she may have been abducted.

"Let her come home to her family and her 4-year-old son," Ford's grandmother, Bridgette Carriere, told the outlet. "Just don't continue to try to hold her, or if you're making her do anything out the way ... just let her go."

As of Friday, Ford remained missing and the case remained "active and ongoing," a Houston police spokesperson told USA TODAY.

"We're asking anyone with information to come forward," the spokesperson said. He said detectives were not releasing any additional information about the case.

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Last seen wearing black tank top and tan pants

Police described Ford as a Black woman with brown eyes and black hair, standing 5 feet, 4 inches tall and weighing about 170 pounds.

According to police she was last seen wearing a black tank top and tan pants.

Anyone with information about her whereabouts is asked to contact police or the Texas Center for the Missing. 

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.