Fullerton : Police Say Missing Girl Wasn’t Kidnaped

Police searching for 15-year-old Nicole Francoise, who was reported missing last week, said Sunday new information suggests that there is no reason to believe that she’s been kidnaped.

She was seen about 3 p.m. Saturday in north Palm Springs “in good health,” said Police Sgt. Dave Stanko, who added that detectives are tracking down leads indicating that the teen-ager was headed for Las Vegas.

“At this time, there is no indication the juvenile is being held against her will,” Stanko said Sunday.

Police initially believed that the Sunny Hills High School student disappeared about 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, after leaving a friend’s house. Her friend later acknowledged that they had spent the day at Knott’s Berry Farm, where they met a 21-year-old man, a 15-year-old boy and an 18-year-old woman, police said.

The friend said they went to Huntington Beach with the trio, who said they were going to Palm Springs. The friend was dropped off at her home, and she later told police that Nicole had decided to go with the others.

Stanko said police have identified the trio, whose names were not released.