Missing teen returns home as police fear for elderly Lydia’s safety

A 17-YEAR-OLD Nicosia girl who was reported missing on Thursday returned home at the weekend, police said.

Sofi Evripidou returned home on Sunday afternoon alive and well. The Strovolos lyceum student had been reported missing last Thursday. Her mother notified Nicosia CID when the teenager returned.

In a statement to authorities, Evripidou said she had been staying in a building near her house. Apparently the teen said she had been under pressure due her school exams, which had coincided with fierce family arguments just before her disappearance.

Meanwhile, Nicosia CID is continuing to search for an 86-year-old woman who disappeared almost two weeks ago after she walked out of the Kaladjian aged care home.

Police yesterday admitted they were increasingly fearful for Lydia Gulesserian’s safety and that they were getting fewer phone calls regarding reported sightings.

“We know for sure she was near the University of Cyprus campus [a day or two after she went missing on May 6] because we have three witnesses who saw and spoke to her. After that we have had various reports but nothing confirmed,” an investigating officer said.

The elderly Armenian woman had apparently told people she was trying to make her way back to Larnaca, which is where she was originally from.

“She isn’t in Larnaca. We are still searching but she could be anywhere. She maybe went off course and walked into fields and is somewhere we haven’t thought to look,” he said.

Gulesserian’s three daughters believe their mother was wearing a black skirt, a light coloured shirt and a black sweater on the day she went missing from the Strovolos aged care home.

n Anyone with any information regarding Gulesserian’s whereabouts should please contact the nearest police station or call her daughter Arda on 99-047800

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