A Long Island woman vanished after she suddenly jumped out of a moving car in a state of panic and ran off. Her loved ones are now worried, fearing she may be in danger. Brittany Kritis-Garip, 32, was last caught on surveillance video around 8 p.m. Friday in the upscale hamlet of Oyster Bay, shortly before she was reported missing, News 12 Long Island reported.
Kritis-Garip's husband, Fernando, said she was in a state of panic and threw her phone into a nearby bush before jumping out of the car and running off. At the time, she was dressed in black pants and a black jacket with a fur collar.
Strange Behavior Before Disappearance
"We've been combing wooded areas, rural areas, suburban areas, everything. So we're just asking for the public's help here. We really need the public's help to locate her," Garip told the outlet on Sunday. "We're going to be at this until she's home. I don't care what we have to do, what needs to be done."
Volunteers have focused their search on a one-mile stretch of marshy shoreline near Oyster Bay Harbor after Kritis-Garip's wallet was found on a road leading toward the water, her friend Sarah Castor shared on Facebook Wednesday.
Castor, who is helping organize the search for the missing 32-year-old, stressed that every second matters in the effort to locate her.
"While law enforcement is actively involved, time is critical," Castor wrote on a GoFundMe fundraising page, hoping to hire a private investigator.
She explained that bringing in a private investigator would help them search more thoroughly and follow up on leads much faster.
Since Kritis-Garip went missing, Nassau County Police have stepped up efforts, using aerial support like helicopters and drones to search areas near the East Norwich–Oyster Bay border.
Worst Fears Come Haunting
Castor also urged the public to look in any place where Kritis-Garip might have taken shelter — including sheds, garages, pool houses, under decks or porches, under boat covers, and in wooded, marshy, or shoreline areas, whether on public or private property.
She also urged nearby residents and business owners to keep checking their security cameras for any possible sightings of the missing 32-year-old.
Kritis-Garip is described as a white woman with brown hair and brown eyes, about 5 feet 7 inches tall and weighing roughly 140 pounds.
"We believe she was disoriented and frightened, and may think she is in danger," Castor wrote. "She is not dangerous — she needs help."
"Brittany is deeply loved. We are doing everything we can to find her — and we are so grateful for your support," she added.
