Leanne Hecht Bearden may not be missing after all -- in fact , she might be missing by her own accord . That 's what her family said Thursday , after days of pushing for help in finding the 33-year-old last seen leaving her in-law 's house in Garden Ridge , Texas , just northeast of San Antonio . But the bottom line is that Bearden is still missing , nearly two weeks after she went for a walk . Pointing to investigative work done by the Garden Ridge police , the Comal County Sheriff 's Office and Texas Rangers , the family said they now believe Bearden may have gone missing intentionally . `` There is evidence that Leanne may have voluntarily left the area , and we understand this is a strong possibility , '' the family said in a statement posted Thursday on a Facebook page devoted to finding the young woman . If nothing else , Bearden is a veteran traveler . In the last couple of years , she traveled the world with her husband , Josh Bearden , in an epic 22-month trek that she extensively documented in a blog . They climbed Mount Kilimanjaro , swam in the Dead Sea , attended an Indian wedding and much , much more . Then , in December , the couple returned to the United States . Her brother , Michael Hecht , said upon returning to the United States , the couple had spent a short time in Georgia , then went to Texas for a few weeks to visit Josh 's family . He said they were working to find jobs in Denver , where the couple was married and had settled . Coming back to her native country was n't necessarily easy , her family suggested . `` The pressure of transitioning from her two-year trip back into what we consider 'normal ' life seems to have left her very anxious and stressed , '' they said . On January 17 , Bearden told her family she 'd be back in about an hour after setting out on a walk from her in-laws ' residence where she and her husband were staying . Josh Bearden told CNN affiliate KENS-TV , `` She left on her own free will . That is what she did . That is absolutely true , but what happened after she left the house on her own free will I do n't know . '' He and other relatives and friends worked intently to spread the word after she did n't return , as the search for her expanded . Her brother told CNN two helicopters searched for nearly three hours six days after she was last seen , and that followed ground searches the previous two days . `` It 's baffling right now about what happened . Maybe she fell and hurt herself . You start thinking about things . I do n't think she had any enemies . She is loved very much , '' Hecht said then . The biggest such search -- covering 23 square miles , by air and land -- was last Saturday . Garden Ridge police noted their serious concern about Bearden last week , while adding `` there is no indication at this time that ( her disappearance ) is criminal in nature . '' They and other authorities talked to relatives and friends , combed through e-mails and text messages , checked out phone records and contacts -- all in addition to looking for physical signs of her . But none of these efforts have revealed any `` evidence ... of her presence , '' according to her family . `` If Leanne has indeed fled the area , she is extremely vulnerable , '' they said . `` She left with only a few assets and is traveling very light . '' The family added that while Bearden is athletic , `` she is small in stature . '' `` Her mental and physical status is uncertain , '' they said . `` We fear for her greatly . '' The Facebook page devoted to finding her continued pleading Thursday night -- shortly after the family 's statement came out -- for the public 's help , asking people to print and post fliers with her picture and share her story through social media . `` Continue to send your positive thoughts and prayers to the family and friends of Leanne who are really in need of them now , '' the post said .
Leanne Smith was reported in January 2012 after not returning from a trip . A big search in Texas followed for the 33-year - old world traveler . The family are ` ` there is evidence that Leanne may have voluntarily left the area '' They call her ` ` extremely vulnerable '' and is asking for the public 's help .