Family searching for woman missing in Houston: 'It's been a nightmare'

HOUSTON - A desperate search is underway for a missing 24-year-old woman in Houston who's been missing for a week. 

Where is Sydney Marquez?

What we know:

Sydney Marquez, a former Texas A&M student from El Paso, disappeared while visiting friends in the area, leaving her family pleading for answers, and hoping for a Christmas miracle.

Sydney was last seen on Tuesday night, December 16, at a bus stop along South Gessner Road. 

‘The best Christmas gift… to bring my daughter back'

What they're saying:

Sydney’s family has traveled from El Paso to Houston to help with the search. 

Her father, Raul Marquez, says the past week has been nothing short of a nightmare.

"It’s been a nightmare ever since we found out my daughter was missing," Marquez said. "It’s been tough for the whole family."

Marquez said the car Sydney had been using was found abandoned along Bellaire Boulevard with the keys still inside on December 11. Her cellphone was also left behind, something her family says is completely out of character.

"This is very unusual," Marquez said. "Sydney is a bright young lady."

He also shared that Sydney was diagnosed about a year ago with late-onset bipolar schizophrenia, adding that not taking her medication can significantly affect her behavior.

The family has been passing out flyers in Houston, visiting nearby businesses, and reviewing surveillance video wherever possible.

"This has been a boots-on-the-ground type of effort," Marquez said. "Local businesses have been very supportive and have let us review cameras."

Her father believes Sydney may have boarded a METRO bus the night she disappeared, but her father says the lack of working cameras on the bus has made the search more difficult.

"My only light at the end of the tunnel is based on the information the METRO system can provide us," he said. "Unfortunately, when she hopped on the bus, the camera systems were not working. We’re hoping we can interview the drivers or get other data — that’s really our lifeline."

Marquez says his one wish this holiday season is simple.

"The best Christmas gift in the world," he said, "is just to bring my daughter back. That’s all I want for Christmas."

What's next:

Houston police continue to investigate.

What they're saying:

METRO gave FOX 26 this statement:

In the case of the missing person, Sydney Marquez, last seen by her family on route #46 the METRO Police Department (MPD) is actively cooperating with the Houston Police Department (HPD) by assisting with the retrieval of video footage from the METRO bus the individual was reported to be on. While the remote download of the requested footage was unavailable during the initial request, MPD is currently conducting a manual download of the requested footage to support HPD’s investigation. We remain hopeful for the safe location of the individual and will continue to assist HPD in any way possible as the investigation continues.

What you can do:

Anyone with information about Sydney Marquez’s whereabouts is urged to contact one of the following agencies:

• Houston PD Missing Persons Unit: 832-394-1840
• Crime Stoppers: 713-222-TIPS (8477)