Mother pleads for information 2 weeks after Utah woman’s disappearance

HOLLADAY — A Utah woman is pleading for information two weeks after her daughter went missing in California.

Investigators say Danielle Staley, 35, of Holladay, may be at risk, and her disappearance may involve “foul play.”

For April Miller, Danielle’s mother, it’s a nightmare situation wondering what happened to her daughter.

“It’s so heartbreaking,” Miller told KSL, “and you feel so helpless.”

Sitting at home in Utah on Thursday evening, Miller laminated missing person flyers with her daughter’s picture on them.

“She’s kind of the light of our family,” Miller said. “She sort of walks in and takes over the room.”

According to her mother, Danielle was on a trip in California with her on-again, off-again boyfriend.

“The entire time she’s been there, we’ve been in close contact,” Miller said.

But Danielle went missing Nov. 6. Investigators from the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office are working to track down any leads. Her family said the man Danielle was with has abused her in the past, but he’s denied any involvement in her disappearance.

For now, there are no answers.

“I cannot picture anything worse,” Miller said.

The family is pleading for information from anyone who may know what happened. Tips can be made to the sheriff’s office at 831-471-1121.

Miller said her family plans to head back to California this weekend to hang up more missing person flyers — and to search.

“Danielle, we just want you, we just need you to come home,” she said. “We just need you back.”