Missing Hungarian teen in Switzerland: Police seek public’s help, mother fears she is being held captive
A Hungarian teenager has been missing in Switzerland for more than two months, with local police and her devastated family appealing to the public for any information about her whereabouts.
Last seen in Basel in July
Debora Anikó Kovács, who recently turned 15, disappeared on 26 July 2025 in Basel. According to police reports, she was last seen late that evening near Gundeldingenstrasse, reportedly speaking with an older man. Witnesses say the man is wanted under an international arrest warrant, Hungarian tabloid Bors writes.
At the time of her disappearance, Debora was wearing a long black dress and white trainers. She did not take her phone or a change of clothes with her, leading her mother to believe that she had no intention of staying away from home for long.
Police appeal for information
The Basel-Stadt police issued a statement on Friday, asking the public to come forward with any tips about Debora’s location, Swiss Blick writes. Authorities noted that she may no longer be in Switzerland and could have crossed into another country.
Debora is described as being about 160 cm tall, slim, with long dark hair and a birthmark on the left side of her nose. Police urge anyone who spots her to treat her gently and immediately contact the Basel-Stadt police investigation service or the nearest police station.
Family desperate for answers
Debora’s mother, Anna Kovács, told Bors that she is convinced her daughter has been abducted.
“I am sure she is being held captive,” she said through tears. “We couldn’t even celebrate her birthday in August. We have had no sign of life from her—no phone call, nothing.”
The family, originally from Hungary, moved to Switzerland in 2016 when Debora was six years old. Her mother insists there were no warning signs that Debora planned to run away and feels the police are not searching with enough urgency. She fears her daughter may have fallen victim to a sexual predator and is no longer in Switzerland.
How to help
Anyone with information about Debora Anikó Kovács’s whereabouts is urged to contact the Basel-Stadt police immediately or inform any local police authority in Switzerland or abroad.