Authorities in Florida are urgently searching for a 16-year-old Tennessee girl who vanished while vacationing in Pensacola, an alarming situation that has prompted a widespread appeal for public assistance. The Knox County Sheriff's Office disclosed, via a conspicuous Facebook post, that Abigail Kate Velez, the daughter of an East Tennessee police officer, has been missing since Thursday evening; she was last noted to be at Baptist Hospital at 9:30 p.m., as reported by WVLT.

The law enforcement's collective concern, the palpable anxiousness, is echoed by Blue Line Tennessee Inc. through a social media dispatch that emphasizes the gravity of Velez's disappearance, stating, "One of our local Officer’s 16 yr old daughter is missing in FL. They are in Pensacola on vacation. The search is now expanding to all of FL. Please share and pray she’s found soon and safe!!!" as found in a plea posted on Facebook.

The Pensacola police, deeply involved in the case, are also seeking aid from the public to trace the whereabouts of the teen. Velez is described as being 5'6" tall and weighing approximately 130 pounds, with green eyes and dirty blonde hair, a description provided by the MSN account of the ongoing investigation. The community is being asked to come forward with any potentially significant information by getting in touch with the Pensacola Police Department.

As the hours since her last confirmed sighting accumulate, the commitment to locate Abigail Kate Velez intensifies, with various entities joining forces and the specter of concern stretching across state borders. Anyone with information on Velez's location is earnestly requested to call the Pensacola Police Department at (850) 435-1845.