🎃Halloween night, 2001. Costumes filled the streets of State College, Pennsylvania. Among the music, the laughter, and the chaos was Hyun Jong “Cindy” Song.

A 21-year old Penn State student dressed in a playful bunny costume. It was supposed to be a night of celebration. Instead, it became the beginning of one of Pennsylvania’s most haunting mysteries.

Cindy was born on February 25th, 1980 in South Korea. She moved to the United States in 1995. She lived in Virginia with her aunt and uncle so she can attend high school.

With her long black hair and brown eyes, friends and family described Cindy as cute and spunky. Anyone who knew her story also saw her as youthful and driven.

She carried that spunk into college life at Penn State, chasing dreams, and independence in a new country.

That Halloween night, Cindy went out with her friends Stacy Paik and Lisa Kim. Together they danced at Players NightClub until the early hours of the morning. After the club closed, they made their way to Stacy’s apartment, where they hung out, ate, and played video games.

🐰Cindy, still in her bunny costume, laughed her way through the night; ordinary, youthful, safe.

By 4 a.m., Stacy drove Cindy home. She was last seen walking toward her apartment door. The next day, her roommate Catherine returned to find Cindy’s bedroom door locked. At first, it didn’t raise alarms. But by November 4th, Cindy didn’t show up for her job at a Korean restaurant. Her absence became undeniable. Cindy was missing.

Her phone, her backpack, and her false eyelashes were neatly left inside her apartment. But Cindy herself, and her purse and wallet with her ID and credit cards were gone.

She made it home. But she didn’t stay.

This is part 1 of Cindy’s story on the Where the Hell Did They Go Go? tour. Stay tuned for part 2: The Evidence & The Silence.🌠

❤ Luna