A CHINESE woman who traveled to the United States to meet a friend she met online has gone missing, and her daughter told media that the mother had already booked a return flight, www.sohu.com reported.

Jin Fang, a 47-year-old from Guangdong Province, flew into Los Angeles from China on July 14 and was last heard from during a phone chat with a friend July 22, local police officials said.

Jin took a train from Los Angeles to the Palm Springs area, where she was picked up by John Root Fitzpatrick, a 52-year-old man from Morongo Valley, who was supposed to show her around the Morongo Basin.

Local police officials said that Fitzpatrick was also reported missing by a friend July 30.

Fitzpatrick pleaded guilty in December 2020 to misdemeanor assault. He was accused of probation violations and was placed in the veterans treatment court, local police said.

San Bernardino County police and Jin’s family have issued a missing person’s bulletin, appealing to internet users for information about the whereabouts of the two individuals.

Jin Fang’s daughter, surnamed Lin, gave an interview to the World Journal, www.sohu.com reported.

Lin emphasized that her mother had already booked her return flight for October. It was not true, contrary to rumors, that she intended to stay in the United States on purpose.

Lin said that her mother has always loved traveling and previously lived in Europe for a long time, gaining rich travel experience. It was only after the outbreak of the pandemic that she returned to China. She has been to many places both overseas and domestically, often traveling alone, and has never encountered any safety accidents.

Lin said that her mother had been communicating online with the man for several months.

Lin emphasized: “My mom never said she wanted to develop a romantic relationship. Her itinerary back home has been well arranged. She had no intention to stay in the United States for a long time or develop a relationship with the man. We have also noticed that it has caused a lot of rumors, which undoubtedly hurts our family.”(SD News)