SANTA CRUZ, Calif.- The Santa Cruz antiques dealer vanished as she made her way down to San Diego, for her mother's 90th birthday party. Now family and friends are desperately searching for 70-year-old Deanna Brooks. Police said she's been missing since last Friday.
On Thursday night, we spoke with a family member about her mysterious dissapearance. Brooks works at Attilia's Antiques shop on Soquel Drive at Santa Cruz. Now friends and family are working closely with law enforcement to find her.
"She doesn't know how cared for she is. She doesn't know how many people in this town love her," said Deanna Brooks' son Stirling Flynn.
Flynn says his mom was supposed arrive in San Diego by Saturday morning. She didn't haven't a cell phone on her and when she didn't show up by Sunday night, family members called police.
"We're trying to come up with the best scenario of what could've happened. But unfortunately as the days go on, my scenarios are getting a little less hopeful," Flynn said.
Police immediately put out an emergency bulletin to all departments up and down the state with her information. They said Brooks was driving her car, a 2003 PT Cruiser, champagne in color and with the license plate 5EEV387. Police said she hasn't accessed her bank account or used a credit card since she went missing. Flynn thinks she may have taken a detour on her way down.
"Thrift stores, looking for that little deal that then she can put in her antiques shop and you know she's been doing that since I was a little kid. So we've been actually checking thrift stores up and down the coast as well," Flynn said.
But they've also been checking hospitals, because she has some health issues and is on medication.
"Our concern is that she's unconscious or in diabetic shock or something like that where and maybe being cared for and they don't know she's missing," Flynn said.
Flynn said family members and friends are still driving up and down the 101 Freeway looking for her. If you have any information on Deanna Brooks, call the Santa Cruz Police Tip Line at 831-420-5995.
Police said if her car turns up without her inside of it, they'll send out a search and rescue team. But until then, they're depending on information from the public.
