Missing Woman Found; She ‘Just Wanted to Be Alone’

A 20-year-old Newport Beach woman, the object of a two-month search by her parents and police, has emerged in Mono County, where she says she went to sort out personal problems.

Andrea Lee Garland was reunited with her father Thursday after a camper who befriended her last week recognized her photo on a poster.

Garland disappeared in her boyfriend’s white Toyota pickup Oct. 7 with less than $50 cash and no credit cards or checks, according to Newport Beach Police Sgt. Mike Jackson.

Police had feared that Garland had been abducted, because her disappearance was completely out of character, Jackson said.

But to the family’s relief, Garland was only a little tired and hungry, said her sister, Kim Garrity.

“We were really happy, because it had gone on for so long. We were thinking there had been foul play,” Garrity said.

Garrity said her sister plans to stay up north a few days with her mother and father.

Her father left Wednesday to search for Garland after she was spotted near the east entrance to Yosemite, Garrity said.

Garland’s discovery confirmed police hopes that she was simply confused about life and thinking things out.

“She was having some problems in life, like any 20-year-old,” Jackson said.

Garrity said her sister didn’t realize people had been looking for her. She just wanted to be alone to read her Bible, she said.

Garland met La Palma resident Paul Ferazzi, 58, on Sept. 28, near Lee Vining, Mono County, when her truck ran out of gas. They shared meals when he bumped into her during the next few days, he said.

Ferazzi returned from vacation to work at Rockwell International in Downey. He recognized her photo Wednesday on a poster placed by friends of the Garlands, he said.

“I said, ‘Oh my God!’ and practically turned white,” Ferazzi said.

He removed the poster and called Newport police, who then contacted ranger stations and officials near the campsite.

During the two months Garland was gone, the family kept faith, “just praying a lot and asking God to put his protection on her,” Garrity said.