Stockton Police Department

Stockton Police Department(STOCKTON, Calif.) — An 11-year-old girl vanished in Northern California after leaving for school and local police officers believe she may be a runaway.

Elianah Nhem was last seen at her apartment in Stockton at 6:30 a.m. Tuesday, Stockton Police Department officials said.

Elianah’s mother believes she left to walk to school but she never showed up, according to police.

Authorities believe this may be a runaway case though it’s not clear why the 11-year-old might have left home, Stockton Police spokesman Joe Silva told ABC News on Wednesday.

Officials do not know where Elianah is but are mostly focusing the search within her neighborhood and near her school, Silva said.

Stockton is located about 80 miles east of San Francisco.

The “goal here is to locate her and make sure she’s safe — and were asking for the community’s help,” Silva said. “Do the right thing and give us a call because she has family members who are very worried.”

 School district officials declined to comment.

Elianah was last seen wearing a long sleeve black crop top, dark jeans and white Adidas tennis shoes. She was carrying a pink backpack, according to police.

Anyone with information is asked to call Stockton police.

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