Violet Benjamin, 28, disappeared after leaving her Ballard apartment; her father says possible sightings have been reported in the area.
SEATTLE — A father is asking the public for help as the search continues for his 28-year-old daughter, who disappeared in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood in late February.
Yobie Benjamin has spent the past several days driving around Ballard and Fremont, retracing places his daughter, Violet Benjamin, might have gone.
“She’s a creature of habit,” Benjamin said.
The 28-year-old was last seen early in the morning on Saturday, Feb. 28, according to her father. Yobie Benjamin said Violet left the apartment she shared with her boyfriend sometime overnight.
Later that morning, her boyfriend realized she was gone and contacted her father, who flew to Seattle from California to begin searching.
Since then, Yobie Benjamin has been putting up flyers, visiting businesses and asking people in the area if they have seen her.
Benjamin believes his daughter may still be in the Ballard or Fremont area, where several possible sightings have been reported, including one involving someone who may have seen her boarding a bus.
Violet Benjamin is described as 5 feet 10 inches tall, with brown hair and brown eyes. She previously worked at a PCC grocery store in Ballard, a job her father said she loved.
Clothing believed to belong to her was discovered near the docks close to the Ballard PCC about a day after she went missing.
“Her pants, her shirt — that’s her sports bra,” Yobie Benjamin said while showing photos of the items. “Her underwear was with this.”
The clothes were found wet, but Benjamin said one item was notably missing.
“The thing that gives us comfort is that there’s no coat,” he said.
Later the same day the clothing was found, surveillance video captured Violet Benjamin walking nearby fully clothed and carrying a jacket, according to her father.
Benjamin said his daughter has previously experienced mental health challenges and may be confused.
“She does have the ability to walk long distances,” he said. “She likes walking. She likes public transportation. We’re hoping if anyone sees her on the bus, they would flag her.”
The Seattle Police Department says it is investigating the disappearance. Yobie Benjamin said he has received tips from people who believe they may have seen her, but none have been confirmed.
Despite the uncertainty, Yobie Benjamin says he believes his daughter is still alive.
“I have a father’s intuition that she’s alive and she’s confused,” he said. “If you have family and friends who are suffering from mental health issues, don’t take it in stride. Try to act on it immediately, because most of the time, time is of the essence.”
Anyone who believes they may have seen Violet Benjamin is asked to call 911 immediately.
More information about Violet and any updates are being uploaded to findviolet.com.
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