A search operation is currently in progress in Vermont following the mysterious disappearance of a young woman from her college campus last week.

Lia Smith, a 21-year-old senior at Middlebury College, was last spotted on campus this past Friday. Concern arose when her father reported her missing on Sunday, after noticing that she had stopped responding to phone calls and messages from her friends.

Smith hails from California, and while details surrounding her disappearance remain scant, the urgency to locate her grows. Middlebury police are actively trying to piece together any information that might lead to her whereabouts.

Sergeant Nathan Hayes of the Middlebury Police Department emphasized the primary goal of ensuring Smith’s safety. “If there’s any concern, or if Lia thought she was in trouble for anything, she’s not; nobody’s in trouble for this,” Hayes reassured through The Middlebury Campus. “We just truly want to find out where she is and make sure she’s safe.”

Smith is described as standing 5 feet 11 inches tall, weighing approximately 160 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes. The community remains hopeful for her safe return as more people join the efforts to locate her.

Anyone with information regarding Smith’s whereabouts should call Middlebury police at 802-388-3191 or submit a tip online through the department’s website.

[Feature Photo: Middlebury police]