Kiely Rodni missing - live: Police have no leads in search for teen who vanished from Truckee campground

The desperate search for missing teen Kiely Rodni who disappeared after a party at a California campground has entered its fourth day.

Kiely, 16, was last seen around 12.30am on 6 August near the Prosser Family Campground in Truckee, where she attended an allegedly alcohol-fuelled gathering of more than 100 teens and young adults.

An investigation was launched by the Placer County Sheriff’s Office the next morning after Kiely failed to show up for a hike with friends and no one could get in contact with her.

The case is being treated as an abduction because Kiely’s car is also unaccounted for. More than 260 personnel have been assigned to canvass the area on the ground and in the air as they plead for anyone with information to come forward.

Investigators say they don’t have any new leads, but still suspect someone in the community knows more.

“We believe that someone knows,” Nevada County Sheriff’s Office captain Sam Brown said during a press conference on Wednesday. “Someone saw her but they’re not coming forward.”

Key Points

• ‘She never came home’: Kiely Rodni’s mom recalls last conversation

• Three dive teams join the search for Kiely Rodni

• Police releases last known photo of Kiely Rodni

• Everything we know about 16-year-old who vanished from camp party

Sheriff’s office releases image of Kiely’s car

06:03 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

The Placer County Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday released an old image of Kiely Rodni’s 2013 silver Honda, which has been untraceable along with her.

Officials also shared a photo of a hoodie that Kiely had borrowed on 5 August, the day before she went missing.

“We don’t know whether Kiely was wearing that hoodie when she disappeared, but we believe it was still in her possession,” the authorities said.

“We continue to ask for the community’s help to find Kiely and bring her home to her family.”

ICMYI: Everything we know about 16-year-old who vanished from camp party in California

05:50 , Josh Marcus

A desperate search continues for 16-year-old Kiely Rodni, who vanished from a party at a northern California campground on 5 August.

Kiely was last seen around 12.30am on Saturday near the Prosser Family Campground in Truckee, the Placer County Sheriff’s Office said.

She is described as white, 5’7” tall, and 115 pounds with blonde hair and hazel eyes. She has numerous piercings and jewelry, including a nose ring, and was last seen wearing green Dickies pants and a black tank top.

Here’s everything we know.

Cops receive over 100 tips in investigation into Kiely Rodni

05:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

The Placer County Sheriff’s Office has reportedly received more than 100 tip-offs as the search continues for the missing 16-year-old Kiely Rodni.

“Numerous resources and agencies have responded to locate Kiely over the past several days,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement.

According to authorities, the only lead in the investigation has been Kiely’s last known location before she went missing.

She was last seen around 12.30am on 6 August near the Prosser Family Campground in Truckee.

Kiely Rodni’s mother recalls her last conversation with missing daughter

04:54 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Lindsey Rodni-Nieman, the mother of the 16-year-old missing girl, received a text from her daughter late on Friday night, saying she was planning to leave a party in about 45 minutes and would be coming “straight home.”

“I told her to be safe and that I loved her. And she said, ‘OK, mom, I love you, too,’” Ms Rodni-Nieman told ABC News.

“She never came home.”

The next morning, when the missing teenager was still not at home, her mother called her and sent texts which went unanswered.

“That’s when I knew something was wrong.”

Ms Rodni-Nieman added that she believes her daughter did not run away because all her clothes and belongings were still at home.

A key photo emerges in the Kiely Rodni manhunt

04:50 , Josh Marcus

Authorities have released a new photo of missing teen Kiely Rodni that was taken hours before she vanished from a party at a California campground.

It’s been four days since 16-year-old Kiely was last seen around 12.30am on Saturday near the Prosser Family Campground in Truckee.

On Tuesday, the Placer County Sheriff’s Office released a new picture of Kiely captured by a surveillance camera at a Truckee business about six hours before she was last seen.

In the photo, the Kiely is wearing a black spaghetti strap bodysuit, green Dickies pants with a black grommet belt, and black Vans.

Andrea Blanco has more.

Missing California teen Kiely Rodni seen in new photo as Gwyneth Paltrow joins search

Police have no new leads on missing California teen as hunt continues

03:50 , Josh Marcus

Northern California police don’t have any new evidence about the mysterious weekend disappearance of teen Kiely Rodni, but they believe “someone knows” what happened to the 16-year-old, even as cadaver dogs have joined the search.

“We believe that someone knows,” Nevada County Sheriff’s Office captain Sam Brown said during a press conference on Wednesday. “Someone saw her but they’re not coming forward.”

Officials said they were dismayed that their hunt for Kiely—which has now roped in multiple police departments, nearly 50 FBI agents, cadaver dogs, helicopters, search-and-rescue divers, and helicopter sweeps—still hasn’t yielded any new information.

“We do not have any new leads, and that I can tell you is very frustrating for us,” Josh Barnhart of the Placer County Sheriff’s Office said during the briefing.

Catch up the story below.

Kiely Rodni: Police say ‘someone knows’ fate of lost teen as cadaver dogs join search

The many tools police are using to hunt for Kiely Rodni

02:50 , Josh Marcus

At least three dive teams have reportedly joined the search for missing 16-year-old Kiely Rodni in northern California.

The teams will be searching close to the shore of Prosser Creek, a 60-feet-deep reservoir near Lake Tahoe, Fox News reported.

Kiely was last seen around 12.30am on 6 August near the Prosser Family Campground in Truckee, where she attended an allegedly alcohol-fuelled gathering of more than 100 teens and young adults. An investigation was launched by the Placer County Sheriff’s Office the next morning after Kiely failed to show up for a hike with friends and no one could get in contact with her.

Andrea Blanco has the details.

Kiely Rodni: Dive teams join search for missing California teen

Kiely Rodni was bound for music school before disappearance

01:50 , Josh Marcus

Kiely Rodni had a bright future ahead of her before she went missing from the community of Truckee, California, over the weekend.

At age 16, the honors student graduated from the public Forest Charter School after skipping a grade.

She had plans to study music in the fall at Sierra College, the Reno Gazette Journal reports.

Police: Kiely Rodni’s phone turned off night of disappearance

01:20 , Josh Marcus

Police said they’ve been unable to use missing teen Kiely Rodni’s phone to track her location because the iPhone was turned off in the early morning of 6 August, when the 16-year-old vanished.

Instead, they’ve resorted to other forms of digital evidence, including surveillance videos and footage captured on Ring home security cameras to try and find the missing girl.

As Kiely Rodni investigation continues, Gabby Petito story does too

Thursday 11 August 2022 00:50 , Josh Marcus

Before Kiely Rodni disappeared over the weekend in Northern California, another missings person case involving a young woman in a rural area got the nation’s attention.

After a nationwide manhunt, Gabby Petito’s remains were found near Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming last September, the victim of a strangling from her boyfriend Brian Laundrie, who later took his own life.

But the sad story of Petito does not end there.

The vlogger’s family recently filed a $50m wrongul wrongful death lawsuit against police in Moab, Utah, accusing them of negligence that led to the the 22-year-old’s death.

The lawsuit accuses the police department, three Moab police officers and 10 other unnamed individuals of “negligent failure” during an investigation into an alleged assault by Brian Laundrie of the 22-year-old a few weeks before her death.

Bevan Hurley has the details for The Independent.

Gabby Petito’s family file $50m wrongful death lawsuit against Utah police

Officials establish tip line in Kiely Rodni case

Thursday 11 August 2022 00:20 , Josh Marcus

Officials are convinced someone in the rustic mountain community of Truckee, California, knows what happened to missing teenager Kiely Rodni.

“We believe that someone knows,” Nevada County Sheriff’s Office captain Sam Brown said during a press conference on Wednesday. “Someone saw her but they’re not coming forward.”

They’ve established a tip line at sheriff_tahoeinvesttips@placer.ca.gov for those with any information about the case.

PHOTOS: police share images of hoodie, car belonging to Kiely Rodni

Thursday 11 August 2022 00:00 , Josh Marcus

Police don’t have much to go on in the disappearance of Nothern California teen Kiely Rodni, but they’re sharing images with the public of what they have so far.

On Wednesday, the Placer County Sheriff’s Office posted two photos, showing a hoodie and Honda SUV thought to belong to the missing teen.

Alcohol was in Kiely’s system before disappearance, friends say

Wednesday 10 August 2022 23:41 , Josh Marcus

Before Kiely Rodney disappeared, the teen appeared drunk, according to her friend Samantha Smith.

“She was in no state to drive and she wouldn’t have made it far or would have crashed,” Samantha told The Independent on Monday.

She also told ABC that she had shared all drinks with Kiely.

“She was having fun at the party, just being a teenager,” she told the outlet. “Everything she drank, I drank out of.”

Andrea Blanco has the details.

Exclusive: Friend of missing teen Kiely Rodni recounts last call before she vanished

The three main pieces of evidence police have in the disappearance of Kiely Rodni

Wednesday 10 August 2022 22:59 , Josh Marcus

Police have woefully few leads about what happened to Truckee, California, teenager Kiely Rodni, who went missing in the wee hours of 6 August after leaving a party at an area campground.

On Wednesday, officers from the Placer County and Nevada County sheriff’s offices provided an update on the few scraps officials are working from.

They showed a suveillance photo of the 16-year-old captured on the night of 5 August at a local business, where Ms Rodni can be seen wearing a black tank top, green trousers, and black sneakers.

Other key images include one of her current vehicle, a silver Honda CRV SUV, and a dark hoodie with a floral design believed to be in her posession.

Kiely Rodni: Truckee police say ‘someone knows’ what happened to missing teen as cadaver dogs used in search

Wednesday 10 August 2022 22:39 , Josh Marcus

Northern California police don’t have any new evidence about the mysterious weekend disappearance of teen Kiely Rodni, but they believe “someone knows” what happened to the 16-year-old, even as cadaver dogs have joined the search.

“We believe that someone knows,” Nevada County Sheriff’s Office captain Sam Brown said during a press conference on Wednesday. “Someone saw her but they’re not coming forward.”

Officials said they were dismayed that their hunt for Ms Rodni—which has now roped in multiple police departments, nearly 50 FBI agents, cadaver dogs, helicopters, search-and-rescue divers, and helicopter sweeps—still hasn’t yielded any new information.

“We do not have any new leads, and that I can tell you is very frustrating for us,”Josh Barnhart of the Placer County Sheriff’s Office said during the briefing.More details from our full report here.

Kiely Rodni: Police say ‘someone knows’ fate of lost teen as cadaver dogs join search

The hunt for Kiely Rodni continues with little new evidence

Wednesday 10 August 2022 22:26 , Josh Marcus

The investigation into the disappearance of Northern California teen Kiely Rodni has made little progress, despite numerous different police and government agencies joining the search in recent days.

Investigators said during a press conference on Wednesday they hadn’t discovered any new clues as to Ms Rodni’s whereabouts.

A surveillance photo from a Truckee, California, business showing her earlier in the night of her disappearance remains the only solid piece of evidence they have.

“It’s hard to look somebody in the face and tell them you don’t have those answers,” Nevada County sheriff’s captain Sam Brown said during the briefing.

He said police have used dirt bikes, search dogs, and ground-based teams to search the roads near Ms Rodni’s home, to little avail.

“We believe that someone knows,” he added of the teen’s fate. “Someone saw her but they’re not coming forward.”

Police say they have no “new leads” in Kiely Rodni case

Wednesday 10 August 2022 22:09 , Josh Marcus

Police don’t have any new leads in the Kiely Rodni case, Josh Barnhart of the Placer County Sheriff’s Office said during a press conference on Wednesday.

“We do not have any new leads, and that I can tell you is very frustrating for us,” he said.

That’s even though nearly 50 FBI agents, as well as numerous other law enforcement agents from the state and local level, are working on the case.

Police have used everything from trained dogs to local surveillance video to build a picture of what happened to the missing teen.

Officials are currently addressing the public about the case. Watch live here via the Reno Gazette Journal.

More than $30,000 raised on GoFundMe

Wednesday 10 August 2022 22:05 , Andrea Blanco

Although a $50,000 reward is being offered for leads that help find Kiely, friends of the teenager have also created a GoFundMe page to increase the reward.

More than $30,000 has been raised as of Wednesday afternoon.

“With the consent of Kiely’s parents, I am starting this gofundme to help increase the reward for her return. We hope this will encourage more people to come forward with any information that can help bring this sweet girl home,” the organizer, Amie Quirarte, wrote in the description of the fundraiser.

Family and friends say Kiley is not a runaway

Wednesday 10 August 2022 21:45 , Andrea Blanco

Kieley’s mom told ABC all of her daughter’s belongings remained in her room and that “it was already so out of character” for her to not call.

Kiely’s friend, Samantha, also told The Independent on Monday that she didn’t think Kiely had run away.

“She would have kept her phone and stayed in contact with one of us ... She wouldn’t do this to her mom,” Samantha said.

A press conference will be held on Wednesday

Wednesday 10 August 2022 21:25 , Andrea Blanco

The presser is scheduled at 2pm PT at the Truckee-Donner Recreation & Park District in Truckee.

The Placer County Sheriff’s Office also announced a separate community update at 5.30pm.

Police is investigating Kiely’s disappearance as a possible abduction but an Amber alert has not been issued

Wednesday 10 August 2022 21:05 , Andrea Blanco

Although authorities have found no evidence of foul play, the incident is being treated as an abduction because her vehicle is also missing and so the department can use more resources on the investigation.

“Because we don’t know, we just have that timeline, we are considering everything,” Scott Alford, a Placer County Sheriff’s detective, said during a press conference on Tuesday.

An amber alert was not issued after Kiely vanished. CHP Truckee said the alert has not been issued because it has not received confirmation of an abduction, KCRA reported.

The senior farewell party grew bigger than expected

Wednesday 10 August 2022 20:45 , Andrea Blanco

The gathering at the Prosser Family Campground had more than 100 teenagers and young adults, the Placer County Sheriff’s Office said.

It initially was planned as a local senior farewell party but teenagers and college students from the Bay area eventually arrived also, Kiely’s friend, Samantha Smith, told The Independent.

“I knew it was a big party but it was supposed to be just the community …The party started to grow past the [number] of people that were supposed to be there,” Samantha said.

“There were college kids and people from the Bay area coming and I got a bad feeling about it but didn’t really think much of it.”

Eight law enforcement agencies assist the search

Wednesday 10 August 2022 20:25 , Andrea Blanco

The Placer Sheriff’s Office has received more than 300 tips as of Wednesday.

The agencies joining the investigation are: California Highway Patrol, FBI, Homeland Security, Truckee Police Department, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Washoe Sheriff’s Office, California Central Intelligence Center and the Placer County OES.

Kiely’s last text to her mother

Wednesday 10 August 2022 20:05 , Andrea Blanco

Kiely’s mother told ABC News that her daughter texted her around right before midnight on Friday and said she was going to leave the party in about 45 minutes.

“I told her to be safe and that I loved her. And she said, ‘OK, mom, I love you, too,’” Ms Rodni-Nieman told ABC. “She never came home.”

Ms Rodni-Nieman said that when she woke up on Saturday, she tried to get in contact with her daughter to no avail.

“I called her and sent her texts, too, and she didn’t answer,” she said. “That’s when I knew something was wrong.”

Gwyneth Paltrow joins the search

Wednesday 10 August 2022 19:45 , Andrea Blanco

The actress used her social media following to increase awareness around the search by sharing a flyer with her more than eight million followers on her Instagram story.

The image had information about Kiely’s last whereabouts, car model and description, and the reward offered for tips that led to Kiely.

Police says teens will not get in trouble when they disclose information

Wednesday 10 August 2022 19:25 , Andrea Blanco

The Placer County Sheriff’s Office said they’re not looking to charge teenagers who consumed alcohol at the party and have pleaded with them to come forward with any information that could help find Kiely.

“We’re not interested in [investigating teenage drinking], we’re only looking to find Kiely,” public information officer Angela Musullam told The Independent.

A teens-only meeting took place on Tuesday at the Tahoe City Save Mart from 5pm to 7pm. Teenagers were asked to attend and shared information about the party, but authorities received no concrete leads overnight, the department said.

“I want to reiterate, all the adults and all parents, please do not come to this ... If you knew about the party, if you learned about the party afterward, or if you knew somebody who went to the party, please come to me,” Samantha Smith, Kiely’s friend, said before the meeting, the Moonshine Ink reported.

Kiely’s friend recalls last call with her

Wednesday 10 August 2022 19:05 , Andrea Blanco

Samantha Smith, 18, told The Independent she was the last person to speak with 16-year-old Kiely after midnight on Saturday.

“At 12.36am she called me … and this is the last call anybody had with her. We said ‘love you, good night. Get home safe,’ and that’s the last thing we heard of her,” Samantha said on Monday.

A spokesperson for the sheriff’s office told The Independent that the department could not confirm whether Samantha was the last person to speak Kiely, but said that shortly after midnight her phone was turned off.

Exclusive: Friend of missing teen Kiely Rodni recounts last call before she vanished

Kiely’s mother pleads for the public’s assistance

Wednesday 10 August 2022 18:45 , Andrea Blanco

Lindsay Nieman-Rodni appealed to the public to come forward in a video shared by the Placer County Sheriff’s Office.

“We just want her home. We are so scared. We miss her so much and love her so much. If you see this, please just come home. I want nothing more than to hug you,” Ms Rodni said Monday.

“If you know where she is or know anything about where she might be, please come forward. We’re not looking to arrest anybody or get anybody in trouble we just want to see our daughter home.”

Three dive teams join the search

Wednesday 10 August 2022 18:36 , Andrea Blanco

The teams will be searching at the Prosser Creek Reservoir near Lake Tahoe. They are reportedly planning to search underwater near the shore, Fox reported.

The reservoir is 60 feet deep. Law enforcement agencies have assigned K-9 units, aircrafts, boats and more than 260 personnel to canvass the areas surrounding the Prosser Family Campground.

Placer Sheriff’s Office public information officer Angela Musallam told The Independent on Wednesday that her department and the Nevada and Washoe sheriff offices had done water searches in the area on Tuesday but said she could not whether confirm dive teams had joined the search.

$50,000 award offered for information

Wednesday 10 August 2022 18:25 , Megan Sheets

Authorities have posted a $50,000 reward in Kiely’s disappearance as they appeal to the public to come forward with any information.

Meanwhile, the teen’s friends launched a GoFundMe to raise the reward amount.

As of Wednesday morning, the campaign has raised more than $29,000 via nearly 200 donors.

Donations can be made here.

Last known photo of Kiely

Wednesday 10 August 2022 18:05 , Megan Sheets

Police on Tuesday released a previously unseen photo of Kiely taken about six hours before she disappeared.

The teen was captured on a surveillance camera at a local business in Truckee, presumably on her way to the campground party that was her last known location.

The Independent’s Andrea Blanco has more:

Missing California teen Kiely Rodni seen in new photo as Gwyneth Paltrow joins search

Everything we know about Kiely Rodni’s disappearance

Wednesday 10 August 2022 17:57 , Megan Sheets

Sixteen-year-old Kiely Rodni was last seen after midnight on 6 August after attending a party at a campground in Truckee, California.

The Placer County Sheriff’s Office launched an investigation the following morning after Kiely failed to show up for a hike with friends.

A massive search effort entered its fourth day on Wednesday, with investigators treated the case as an abduction.

The Independent’s Andrea Blanco explains what we know so far:

Everything we know about 16-year-old Kiely Rodni’s disappearance