Crime & Safety

Le Family Launches Three-Day Search for Missing Nursing Student

Dozens of volunteers kicked off a search Friday morning for Michelle Le, who was last seen May 27. The search continues through the weekend.

Dozens of volunteers packed a community center in Hayward this morning in the at finding any trace of missing San Mateo resident Michelle Le.

By 8 a.m. more than 70 people were on hand and ready to help, gathering at the center run by Chanh Tam Buddhist Temple of Hayward. They came dressed to hike, and many held walking sticks or water bottles. One brought a search dog named Hunter.

Le, a 26-year-old nursing student, disappeared three weeks ago after stepping out for a break during clinical duties at Kaiser Medical Center in Hayward. Her car was found parked and locked a few blocks away, but she was never heard from again.

Find out what's happening in Union Citywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Hayward , and have said they believe Le’s remains may be in a remote East Bay location. On Thursday, they announced that they have acquired more evidence – surveillance footage from the Kaiser parking garage where Le’s car was originally parked – and said it has been turned over to the FBI for examination.

Despite the conclusions by police, Le’s loved ones say they have seen no strong evidence that Michelle is dead – and they promise to continue combing the region for her. Today’s search was only the first day of a three-day effort.

Find out what's happening in Union Citywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“We have a large family,” said Michael Le, Michelle’s brother, before the search began Friday. “I have six or seven uncles on one side.” All of them have been dedicating their resources to recovering Michelle, he said.

“We just want her home,” he said. “We don’t care so much if they get the guy or get the girl, whoever’s involved.”

Asked about the family’s interactions with Hayward police, which was strained after the homicide announcement, Michael Le said that “Our relationship has gotten better.”

“We have to prepare for the worst,” he acknowledged, but added that investigators “are not telling us to give up.”

Combing the Hills

After registering Friday morning, the volunteers sat for a presentation by chief search organizer Brad Dennis of KlaasKids Foundation, a Sausalito-based organization dedicated to stopping crimes against children.

The places where the volunteers would be looking – remote canyons and glades in the East Bay hills – should be treated as crime scenes, Dennis said. Do not bring in or remove any objects from the area, he said.

After the general orientation, volunteers were divided into smaller groups and given brightly colored vests and maps of the areas they’d be searching. Dennis told volunteers to keep an eye out for anything out of the ordinary.

“In the majority of these cases we’re looking for something that might have been thrown out of the window” from a moving car, he said.

By about 9:30 a.m. the volunteers were prepped and ready to begin their search. They fanned out in cars and wove their way up into the hills, parking in designated spots and getting out to walk the canyons. (Patch was asked not to reveal the exact locations of the search.)

“Lots of poison oak, lots of poison ivy!” warned Hayward resident Carol Romero to her fellow volunteers. Romero said she grew up in the area. “I know this place like the back of my hand," she said.

Three volunteers, including Michael Le, picked their way down the side of a ravine to search along a stream bed. Other members of their group followed along on the road above, casting their eyes down into the ravine.

Asked why she volunteered her time that day, Romero said, “I saw it on TV, and I just wanted to help. I’ve got two daughters of my own.”

The search effort will continue this weekend. Those looking to volunteer in the search operation can meet at 25350 Cypress Ave. in Hayward at 8 a.m. on Saturday or Sunday. For more information about the search or donating supplies, interested parties can call Tricia Griffith at (801) 560-1933.

Information is also available at www.michellelemissing.com or at the family’s Facebook page. Anyone with information about Le’s disappearance is urged to call Hayward Police at (510) 293-7000.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.