Dutch police have launched a search operation for a 13-year-old girl named Ilayda, who went missing from Houten on Sunday, June 28, 2026.
She was last seen near the Houten Castellum railway station around 9:30 p. m.
after leaving the Castellum shopping center.
Authorities tracked her possible route toward the De Polders neighborhood and issued a Burgernet alert late Sunday evening.
Her location tracker deactivated near Cultuurhuis Schoneveld, according to rtvutrecht. nl.
Ilayda made a final phone call to her parents that night, saying: "Papa en mama, ik ben de tijd vergeten maar ik kom er nu aan."
Her father, Maurice, said the family has barely slept since Sunday. "We hebben hooguit drie uur geslapen sinds zondag.
We maken ons heel veel zorgen," he told local media.
He described his daughter as cheerful, caring, and humorous. "Als meisje is ze echt vrolijk, zorgzaam en humoristisch.
Het is echt een geweldige jongedame," Maurice said.
The family expressed deep concern that something happened to her. "Wij missen haar verschrikkelijk en willen niks anders dan dat ze thuis is," her parents said.
They emphasized their desire to safely welcome her back and support her through any difficulties.
"We willen niks anders dan dat ze thuis is en dat ze veilig thuis komt zodat we samen een kop thee kunnen drinken en haar kunnen helpen als ze ergens mee zit," they added.
A community search network has emerged, with over 100 volunteers distributing missing person alerts through schools, sports clubs, and messaging apps.
Volunteers have divided sections of Houten and Utrecht into specific search quadrants to systematically look for the girl.
"Wij hebben al meer dan honderd mensen die aan het zoeken zijn sinds zondag.
Vrienden van ons hebben Houten en Utrecht in wijken onderverdeeld en zoeken in die wijken," Maurice said.
Police describe Ilayda as 1.67 meters tall with a full figure, light skin, and long, dark blonde curly hair.
She was last seen wearing a black hoodie with white letters spelling 'Hoodrich' or 'Hoodridge' on the front, a black tank top, wide black cotton trousers, black Asics sneakers, and a small white Louis Vuitton bag.
