A beloved Oakland, California, coffee shop owner and mother of two has vanished under concerning circumstances, prompting an urgent search as police warn she may be at risk due to a medical condition.
Amy Hillyard, 52, was last seen around 2 p.m. Wednesday near her home on Radnor Road in Oakland's Cleveland Heights neighborhood, not far from Lake Merritt, according to the Oakland Police Department. A neighbor told KTVU that she left without her cellphone, and authorities said she has not been heard from since.
Investigators have released few details about the nature of her condition, but say it is serious enough to classify her as an at-risk missing person.
Hillyard is described as 5 feet 4 inches tall, weighing about 120 pounds, with blonde hair and hazel eyes. Police said she was last seen wearing a white T-shirt, blue jeans and white sneakers with a black stripe.
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Her disappearance has sent shockwaves through Oakland's tight-knit community, where Hillyard is widely known as the co-owner of a popular local café and an active community leader.
Friends, employees and customers say her absence is deeply out of character.
"We want her home," a former colleague told KTVU. "She loves her family, especially her two girls. She's passionate about everything she does."
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Missing posters displaying her photo now line busy stretches of Grand Avenue and the windows of her café, where regulars described her as warm, generous and deeply connected to the neighborhood.
"The whole thing is heartbreaking and shocking," café regular Lynn Lazarus told KTVU.
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Hillyard's impact extends well beyond her business. In addition to co-running the café, she operates a consulting practice, where she has advised leaders from organizations including Apple, Gap, Electronic Arts and the Marine Mammal Center, according to her website.
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She has also dedicated significant time to nonprofit work and community service, serving on boards and leading pro bono efforts. Hillyard is the board president of the Piedmont East Bay Children's Choir.
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In a statement to KTVU, choir officials said the news has deeply affected those who know her.
"This is incredibly difficult news for our close community. Amy is such an important part of our organization, and our hearts are with her and her loved ones as we hope for her safe return," the group said. "Thank you for holding Amy in your thoughts and for supporting one another during this time."
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Hillyard and her husband also operate a second café in San Francisco, further expanding their footprint in the Bay Area.
Her husband said in a statement the family is overwhelmed by community support as the search intensifies.
Anyone with information about Hillyard's whereabouts is urged to contact the Oakland Police Department's Missing Persons Unit at (510) 238-3641.
Police have not said where the case stands, but emphasize that time is critical in locating at-risk missing individuals.
