By Tim Kaiser, Editor-in-Chief

SCC student Bahia Bisharat, who has been missing for nearly a month made contact with the authorities over the weekend. The St. Charles County Sheriff’s Department confirmed that Bisharat left on her own after a internet video call with the Cyber Crime Unit.  They do not know her exact location, but because she is over 18, the Sheriff’s Department needed “only to verify that no criminal activity occurred related to her disappearance.”

Bisharat was reported missing March 19 by her family after her car was found abandoned in the parking lot of the LU/SCC Center for Nursing and Allied Health in Dardenne Prarie. A goodbye note was found in her car.

Her family believed she was kidnapped, but the Sheriff’s Department did not expect foul play.

Bisharat was allegedly seen at a restaurant in Sedalia approximately a week after her disappearance, but it was never confirmed.

On March 29, a group of nearly 100 volunteers gathered to search the area around the SCC satellite campus for signs of  Bisharat and any evidence that could lead police to her whereabouts.

“The St. Charles County Sheriff’s Department is announcing that over the weekend detectives with the St. Charles County Cyber Crime unit made contact with Mrs. Bisharat via a video link over the internet.  We have established with 100% confidence that Mrs. Bisharat left of her own accord and her physical wellbeing is not in question.  We were not able to obtain her exact whereabouts, however being a 19 year old adult we need only verify that no criminal activity occurred related to her disappearance.  We have concluded our investigation into this matter.”

-St. Charles County Sheriff’s Department