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'Please help us': Laura Read's parents speak out as search continues for missing Houston mother

Texas Equusearch says Read's car was found in a Montrose-area shopping center with her baby boy alone inside.

HOUSTON — The parents of Laura "Lacie" Read are speaking out, pleading for help finding their daughter. Lacie has been missing since Saturday and authorities continue to search for her.

RELATED: Small child found inside missing woman's car abandoned at Midtown shopping center, officials say

"It's hard being this far away," Randy Read said.

Randy and his wife Sharon are desperate for answers. They live in Utah and learned Sunday afternoon their 34-year-old daughter Lacie disappeared.

"We don't know anything, we're really in the dark," Randy said.

Randy said he texted with his daughter Saturday night. She sent him a selfie of her and her son. Lacie's dad says that the selfie came in just before 8 p.m.

"I had a nice chat with my daughter last night, I think it must have been right before it happened, I don't know for sure," Randy said. "The conversation just kind of ended in a weird spot, I thought they were probably having dinner and she'd message after, and then I never heard anything back."

Thirty minutes after that selfie sent, Texas Equusearch says her car was found parked outside the Dollar Tree in Montrose. Her baby was spotted alone in the vehicle.

"We have so many questions, it's crazy," Randy said.

Her parents said there's no way she would have left her son behind in the car. They are worried something happened.

"She was in great spirits, she was doing great, hopefully, she still is," Randy said.

The baby is safe and with family. On Sunday, search crews panned out across the Montrose area for hours trying to find any sign of Lacie.

"We went to construction sites, checked inside so many dumpsters, we got flyers out too," said Tim Miller with Texas Equusearch.

But nothing yet. Miller says there weren't surveillance cameras in the parking lot and they too are fearing the worst as each hour goes by.

"Time is critical," said Miller. "We don't see any mothers leaving a baby in the car especially babies less than a year old that's for sure. We've had a lot of miracles in 20 plus years we've been doing this and we're just hoping for another one today."

Lacie's parents in Utah holding on to hope their daughter will return home safely, too.

"She's a beautiful young lady, a happy lady, she's just a special person," Lacie's mother, Sharon, said. "Please help us."

Texas Equusearch tells KHOU 11 News they expect to resume their search by 8 Monday morning. They're hoping the public calls in tips to help them narrow a search area. If you have any information on Lacie's disappearance, call Houston police at 832-394-1840.

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