The search is intensifying for Rima Gibson, a 45-year-old woman from Indiana, who vanished after landing at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport over a month ago. The woman disappeared on February 4 shortly after touching down in South Florida, and the Broward Sheriff's Office is now seeking the public’s assistance in locating her.
Gibson, according to the Broward Sheriff's Office, has an intellectual disability and requires thyroid medication, details which have only added to the urgency of her family's plight. According to NBC6, Gibson is said to psychologically have the mind of a 16-year-old. When she failed to stay in contact, her family quickly grew concerned and has now turned their hope to the public for any shred of information that might help to bring her home.
The last communication anyone had with Gibson was a photo she posted after her arrival in Florida. Her mother, Linda Neely, who has temporarily relocated to South Florida to search for her daughter, revealed to NBC6 that attempts to call Rima a few days after her last post were met with a disconnected number. The unsettling discovery that Gibson's phone number is already in the hands of a new owner raises disturbing questions about her whereabouts and well-being.
Neely suspects her daughter was lured to South Florida by someone promising her a job as a Certified Nursing Assistant, a position listed on Gibson's Facebook profile. In a heart-wrenching plea captured by NBC6, Neely stated, "I want her to know if she’s listening and watching, call your sisters if you don’t want to call me. We just want to make sure you’re safe." The family alleges that Gibson was thrown out of a hotel by her boyfriend, who took her debit card, complicating her situation even further.
Gibson was described as around 5 feet, 4 inches tall and weighing about 115 pounds, with brown hair, hazel eyes, and a distinctive tattoo on her right forearm. She was last seen wearing a multicolor hooded sweatshirt and beige sweatpants. Detective Chris Blankenship of the BSO is spearheading the investigation, and has provided a contact number for tips at 954-321-4268. The BSO has also made available a non-emergency number, 954-764-4357, for any information related to Gibson's disappearance, as reported by Hoodline.
