THE FAMILY of an Irish teenager who is missing in Spain is seeking donations from the public to help hire a private investigator to boost the effort to locate her.
Amy Fitzpatrick (16) disappeared after leaving a friend's house at about 10pm on January 1st to walk to her home on the Costa del Sol.
Originally from Clarehall in north Dublin, Amy had been living with her mother in the Riviera del Sol tourist resort in Mijas for the past few years.
Her father, Christopher, who lives in Ireland, believes hiring a private investigator would offer new life to the 34-week search.
Amy's father has also called on authorities to release CCTV footage from the track along which Amy is understood to have walked home.
Her aunt, Christine Kenny, said Spanish authorities were still working on the case, but the family had not received any news since June. "We've done as much as we possibly can, but we simply don't have the manpower to search the entire area," she said.
Ms Kenny said that hiring a private investigator could cost €450 per day and the investigation could run for several months.
"This is the first time we have asked for help with funds, and it will only be used to hire a private detective," she said.
The family has pledged to give any surplus to the Missing organisation in Ireland to help other families of missing children.
Last month, the family presented a petition of 20,000 signatures to the European Commission, calling for the introduction of a system to alert EU states when children go missing.
Details of how to make a donation to the family are available at www.searchforamy.com.
