An initial Israel Police review of the disappearance of Mali Yahalomi, 50, and her daughter Liel, 23, who have been missing in the Austrian capital since Friday, indicates that there are signs the two were not abducted and may have left their apartment voluntarily.
As part of the investigation, police are examining an indication that location data was deleted from the women’s cellphones days before they disappeared. Authorities also are looking into the possibility that the mother and daughter had obtained a significant amount of cash. Police are operating command centers both in Israel and abroad, working around the clock under the direction of Police Commissioner Insp. Gen. Danny Levy. Additional representatives are making their way to Vienna to handle the case.
Maili and Liel Yahalomi remain missing
(Photo: From the Facebook page of the Israeli Embassy in Vienna)
Earlier Wednesday evening, the widely circulated Austrian newspaper Kronen Zeitung reported, citing Vienna police, that there is “no indication of a criminal offense” in the incident. The statement means Vienna police believe that, at this stage, there are no signs that a crime is being or has been committed in the case. “Everything is crazy,” an Israeli official told ynet, describing the disappearance.
In addition, Vienna police spokesman Markus Dittrich told the Austrian newspaper that “an internal investigation, inquiries with hospitals and the like have been opened in cooperation with the Israeli diplomatic mission in Austria.” He did not say what direction the investigation is focused on.
It was also reported Wednesday that cellphone location tracking carried out by police in Israel and Austria indicates that the two women, who are Sabbath-observant, were last seen during Shabbat near the city train station, an open area that includes, among other things, a municipal park. The family says it did not receive an update from police about the location tracking.
Family members went Sunday to the Modi’in police station, where they filed a missing persons report and provided the information they had. The station forwarded the report to the police’s international division in the investigations branch, which activated police officials in Austria. Family members also said Mali and Liel had contacted them Friday before Shabbat began, but did not respond to messages after Shabbat ended.