Just a few days ago, 17 year old Stephanie Burke was on vacation with her family in Oregon. Today she is missing, believed to have run away with a boyfriend even her friends did not know.
Robin Burke returned to her home in Prior Lake, Minnesota yesterday happy. Her family had just returned from a vacation in Oregon a trip all had been looking forward to. Her happiness was interrupted by the discovery that her 17 year old daughter, Stephanie Burke, was missing. After trying to contact her via her cell phone numerous times, Robin reasonably began to panic. A check of Stephanie's room found it locked. Eric Burke, Stephanie's father, broke in. The panic Robin began to feel became real: Stephanie's things were gone.
Accessing her cell phone records, a phone call led to answers: a 21 -year- old man named David Kottmann, also from Minnesota. His parents revealed they had recently kicked him out. He was also missing. When Eric told them he was calling the cops, they hung up on him. That call to the police seemed futile. The Prior Lake Police Department said she was almost eighteen and told Robin there simply wasn't much they could do. Left worried, Robin didn't know what else to do. She expected the police to help more, possibly issue an Amber Alert. Her family is left to try to locate Stephanie on their own.
What is even more frightening to the Burkes is that this behavior is uncharacteristic of their daughter, Stephanie, who is a straight A student looking forward to attending college next year. She met Kottmann while working at a family amusement park in Shakopee, Minnesota - Valleyfair. The two had been dating secretly, with both friends and family unaware of their relationship. It is believed that the two are headed towards California or a region with warmer temperatures. Kottmann attended school in California and dropped out last year. Stephanie did not pack any clothes for cold weather.
If you see Stephanie Burke or David Kottmann, please contact your local police.
