Spotsylvania teen still missing 1 year later

SPOTSYLVANIA, VA (WWBT) - It has been one year since Spotsylvania teen Katelin Michelle Akens disappeared.

Katelin was last seen on Saturday, Dec. 5, 2015, when her mother, Lisa Sullivan, dropped her off at her stepdad's house in the 200 block of Oak Crest Drive in Partlow.

He took her to the Franconia-Springfield Metro station to catch a train to Reagan International so she could fly back to Arizona, where she was living, and was getting ready to start cosmetology school. The mother says she got a text message saying Katelin had boarded the plane; it turns out, however, she never boarded the plane.

Deputies say the investigation shows Katelin never left Spotsylvania.

Virginia Department of Transportation employees were working along River Road in Spotsylvania on Monday, Dec. 7, 2015, and discovered luggage down in a drainage ditch that belonged to the missing girl.

Missing from the luggage were some clothes, some cash and her cell phone, which hasn't been turned on since she went missing. What investigators and the family say is strange is that other important items were left behind like her bank card.

Katelin is described as a white female, 5'4" tall, 122 pounds, with blonde hair and blue eyes.

The Spotsylvania Sheriff's Office says those responsible, or who have knowledge of her disappearance, may exhibit behavior changes, including:

Altering of physical appearance (growth or removal of facial hair, change in hair color or cut, etc.)
Change in normal routine, which might include missing work, classes, or previously scheduled appointments
Displays of anxiety, nervousness, or irritability
Disposing of property without legitimate or reasonable explanations
Intense interest in the status of this investigation
Unexplained injuries (cuts on hands, bruise, etc) contemporaneous to when Katelin was last seen

Anyone with any information on her disappearance can call police at (800) 928-5822 or (540) 582-5822.

Report an Error or Submit a Tip to NBC12