Kentucky Mom Who Helped Find Missing People Has Now Vanished Herself

Investigators searching for a missing Kentucky single mom who vanished more than two weeks ago say they have some “strong leads” in the case.

Andrea Knabel, 37, once helped search for other missing people as a volunteer with Missing in America —but has become the focus of a search herself after disappearing in the early morning hours of August 13. Knabel, a single mother of two, was last seen walking around a Louisville neighborhood around 1 a.m. after she had left an area residence.

Friend Maricia Kidd told local station WAVE that Knabel had been upset and had been looking for a ride when she disappeared.

In the days since the 37-year-old vanished, many of the people who she worked alongside as she helped search for missing adults and children in Louisville and Southern Indiana are now focusing their efforts on searching for Knabel, even starting the social media page Finding Andrea.

On Tuesday, private investigator Tracy Leonard said  in a video post on the page that investigators are making progress in the case.  

“We have had a very productive day on the investigative side today on this case,” he said. “We’ve developed some pretty strong leads. I can’t tell you much more than that, but we are staying focused on our task.”

Leonard said he and others helping in the case had done “multiple interviews” and received potentially helpful information in the mom’s disappearance, but asked the public to continue to search for Knabel.

“I just want to make sure that everybody keeps informed and keeps spreading the word,” he said. “We definitely appreciate it. The family appreciates it.”

Investigators are reportedly hoping that someone who lives in the area where Knabel disappeared may find footage of the missing mom on security camera footage. Leonard asked that anyone with a security system check their footage from the morning of August 13 to see whether they may have captured any images of Knabel. Investigators are also going “door to door” in the area.  

On Wednesday, a group was planning to search an area near Fincastle Road around noon, according to the Finding Andrea page.

The Louisville Metro Police have also launched a missing persons case.

While the search for Knabel continues, Leonard asked that the public remain positive and noted there had been several “negative comments” on the social media page devoted to finding the missing mom.

“We really don’t need anything negative. We want to stay a positive group,” he said. “We want to find her and we don’t want to take our focus off of what we are doing.”

Kidd described Knabel as an “amazing person” and “great mom.”

Anyone with information about the case is urged to contact authorities.