Police issued a fresh appeal for information on Michaela Hunter, who has now been missing for a week.
A number of city organisations have been asked to display posters featuring the 13-year-old”s photograph.
Michaela’s failure to contact her family is causing them continued anguish and her mother Audrey Reid (41) said she has been “living in a nightmare” since her daughter vanished from her home in Yeaman’s Lane.
Ms Reid along with Michaela’s stepfather Stephen (38), brother Damian (16) and sister Erin (12) has issued several heartfelt pleas for her to return.
She said that she has not eaten or slept since she last saw her daughter.
Ms Reid has also had to take time off from her job at Wonderland Nursery in the Hilltown. She added, “We are all so worried about her but she hasn’t thought of the consequences and the longer she leaves it I think the more afraid she is to come home.”
Officers have targeted supermarkets, schools, fast food outlets, shopping centres, and bus and taxi companies in the hope that Michaela’s picture triggers the memory of someone who may know her whereabouts.
The St John’s High School pupil, who is known to frequent the Menzieshill and Charleston areas, went missing on April 19 around 12.30pm after being suspended from school.
There have been a number of unconfirmed sightings of the teenager since she disappeared, the most recent of which was in the Wellgate Centre on April 23 around 12.30pm, where she was seen in the company of a male teenager.
However, no one has as yet come forward to supply officers with direct information regarding her whereabouts.
A police spokeswoman said last night that there were “a number of officers” working full-time in trying to establish where Michaela may have gone.
She added, “They have been speaking to Michaela’s friends and family, visiting all of the places we know Michaela likes to go and following up on all possible sightings.
“I would like to stress that if anyone is providing shelter for Michaela they need to do the right thing and get in touch with us.
“They may think that they are helping Michaela, but they are not.”
She also emphasised the fact that Michaela, who has gone missing four times in the past nine months, was “not in any trouble.”
“She needs to know that she can come and talk to us in confidence about any issues she may have,” the spokeswoman continued.
“I would urge Michaela to contact us by phone on 0300 111 2222 or simply walk into any police station.”