HELP FIND MORGAN

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — Police are searching for a Virginia Tech student who hasn't been seen since she was separated from her friends at a Metallica concert Saturday.

Morgan Dana Harrington, 20, was last seen near the John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville, Va.

Her parents said they talk to her every day and her disappearance is very out of character.

"Morgan is a pretty transparent kid, who's had a really close relationship with us," her father, Dan Harrington, said in a phone interview Tuesday with the Associated Press. "I don't think there are lots of secrets, so this kind of behavior of (her) missing is not something I think we would expect."

Amy Melvin, her roommate in Blacksburg, Va. told The Roanoke Times Harrington went outside the stadium before Metallica went on stage, but she wasn't sure why.

"Everyone assumed she'd be coming back, " Amanda Melvin, Amy Melvin's older sister told the newspaper. "Sitting here while Morgan is out there missing isn't a very good feeling,"

Harrington drove to the concert and her car was still in parking lot after, the newspaper reported.

Her cell phone and purse were found outside the arena.

Harrington's father, who lives in Roanoke, said his daughter had asked him to help her study for a math test and go through the class schedule for next semester on Sunday. He called her friends around 12:30 p.m. when he realized he had not heard from her.

Dan Harrington told Fox News this not typical behavior for his daughter.

"Morgan is pretty close to us as a family," he said, adidng his daughter didn't have a boyfriend and didn't know if anyone who would want to hurt her. "We don't think she is out there with someone she choose to be with."

Police said Morgan Harrington, a junior majoring in education, was wearing a black T-shirt with "Pantera" across the front in tan letters, a black mini skirt, black tights and black knee-high boots.

She has long blonde hair and blue eyes, is 5-foot-6 and weighs about 120 pounds. She was not carrying an identification card or cell phone.

Investigators are treating the disappearance as a missing person case, said Virginia State Police Lt. Joe Rader.

"We have no evidence that a crime has been committed," he said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.


Text taken from Fox News: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,568644,00.html





Police continued to seek help Monday in finding a Virginia Tech student from Roanoke County who went missing during a Metallica concert in Charlottesville on Saturday night.

Morgan Dana Harrington, 20, was last seen near John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville, according to University of Virginia police.

She had gone to the concert with Amy Melvin, her roommate in Blacksburg, and another friend from James Madison University. Harrington drove.

Melvin said Harrington went outside before Metallica took the stage. She said she wasn't sure why.

"Everyone assumed she'd be coming back," said Amanda Melvin, Amy Melvin's older sister and a friend of Harrington's. Friends and family still haven't heard from Harrington, she said.

Amanda Melvin said Harrington's purse and cellphone were found outside the stadium and her car was still in the parking lot. She said Harrington wouldn't abandon her friends there.

Amy Melvin said she and Harrington have been friends since they were in sixth grade at Northside Middle School.

Harrington is a junior education student at Tech. She's a 2007 graduate of Lord Botetourt High School, according to the school's yearbook. She transferred from Northside High School after the academic year ending 2006, said Chuck Lionberger, spokesman for Roanoke County Public Schools.

She and Melvin, who attends New River Community College, live off campus.

The Rev. Diane Scribner Clevenger, pastor to Harrington's parents, Dan and Gil Harrington, spoke for the family Monday.

"Morgan stays in contact with Dan and Gil every day," she said. She said it was unlike Harrington not to be in touch with her parents.

Clevenger said Harrington's parents are in shock. She said they left early Monday morning for Charlottesville.

Dr. Dan Harrington is the associate dean for clinic and regional integration at the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, scheduled to open next fall. He has been with Carilion Clinic since 1990.

Friends created a Facebook group -- called "Help find Morgan Dana Harrington" -- to help spread the word that Harrington was missing.

Amanda Melvin said friends want to help in the search but aren't sure what to do. She said she thought about forming a search group to help look for her. For now, they are forwarding her information and photo to everyone they can.

"Sitting here while Morgan is out there missing isn't a very good feeling," she said.

Harrington was last seen wearing a black T-shirt with "Pantera" across the front in tan letters, a black miniskirt, black tights and black knee-high boots, police said. She has long blond hair and blue eyes, is 5 feet 6 inches and weighs about 120 pounds.

Virginia Tech police have been contacted by UVa police and are assisting with the investigation into Harrington's disappearance, Tech police Chief Wendell Flinchum said.

Anyone who has seen Harrington or has knowledge about her whereabouts is asked to call UVa police at (434) 924-7166.

Roanoke Times coverage: http://roanoke.com/news/nrv/wb/223121
CNN coverage: http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/10/21/virginia.missing.student/
CBS Early Show: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J58dZwGrcL0
ABC News: http://abcnews.go.com/US/virginia-tech-student-morgan-dana-harrington-disappears-concert/story?id=8872201
Metallica coverage: http://www.metallica.com/index.asp?item=602638


Police urge anyone with information to contact the Virginia State Police at (434) 352-3435 or by e-mail at bci-appomattox@vsp.virginia.gov. The number for UVA police is (434) 924-7166.