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Search continues for missing Texas teacher as her car was found in New Orleans

Sixth-grade teacher Michelle Reynolds' grey Lexus SUV was found parked in New Orleans, 360 miles from her Texas home.

NEW ORLEANS — At the corner of S. Peters and St. Joseph Streets in New Orleans Tuesday afternoon, a grey Lexus SUV was parked. The license plate is connected to a woman named Michelle Reynolds, 48, who was reported missing from Texas.

“She said that she was going to get something to eat, and she never returned,” Reynolds’ husband Michael Reynolds said during a phone interview. 

No one has seen or heard from Michelle Reynolds, a sixth-grade teacher, since Thursday afternoon. According to Texas authorities, Lexus Roadside Assistance was able to ping the SUV to an undisclosed location in New Orleans Friday night. When New Orleans Police got there, it was gone.

"Please be on the lookout for Michelle,” Reynolds said.

Over the weekend, Reynolds said he was able to track the SUV to the intersection in downtown New Orleans, about 360 miles away from their home in Alvin, just south of Houston.

"We were able to unlock the car and found that her personal items were still in the vehicle, but she was not in the vehicle,” Reynolds said.

Reynolds told our sister station in Houston he and her brother drove to New Orleans to find her. He says all they found was the SUV.

"Her phone has not been used. Her phone was in the car. Her phone did have charge, but it was turned off,” Reynolds said.

New Orleans Police confirm Michelle Reynolds was reported missing out of Texas and investigators are working with the Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office. Police didn’t say whether they suspect foul play. As of Tuesday afternoon, the NOPD had not issued a missing person report.

“We love her and miss her dearly,” Reynolds said. “We're doing everything we can to bring her home safe."

Michael Reynolds is now back in Texas. He calls what happened to his wife a mystery and frightening for him and their three kids.

“My daughter is having a really tough time and so is my 13-year-old daughter and my 11-year-old son as well," Reynolds said.

Michael told Eyewitness News Tuesday that he decided to leave his wife’s SUV where it was found in case she comes back to it.

Anyone with information on this is asked to call police.

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