Backpacker, 29, who vanished from hostel found ‘safe and well’ after ‘cryptic’ text – as witnesses spot her ‘limping’
A BACKPACKER who vanished from her hostel just days after sending a "cryptic" text has been found safe and well.
Jessica Parkinson, 29, had not been seen since she left work at Texas Joe's Slow Smoked Meats in Bermondsey on Wednesday, December 11.
Three days earlier she was spotted leaving St Christopher’s Inn hostel in Bermondsey.
She was reported missing at 11.43pm on December 12.
Jessica has now been found safe and well, according to Metropolitan Police.
A café worker on Borough High Street, the same road as her hostel, believes he had seen Jessica on Sunday, December 15.
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The employee, who wished to remain anonymous, described how he saw a "dishevelled" woman, who he said was the missing Australian, walking down the street on Sunday evening.
She was spotted travelling north towards St Christopher's Inn hostel wearing a pink outfit at around 6.30pm.
He said: "She was looking like she was fed up. Also, she was walking quite weirdly and limping.
"She looked like she could have been homeless."
Jessica was reported missing on December 8 by her father after failing to make contact with relatives in Queensland.
Three days later, on Wednesday, December 11, Jessica was last seen at barbecue restaurant Texas Joe's - where she had worked for the past year.
Jessica sent a "cryptic" text to a colleague later that evening.
Restaurant owner Joe Walters contacted Jessica's dad on December 13 after she failed to turn up to three shifts in a row.
The worried father then told Mr Walters that cops had already been alerted and it was being treated as a missing persons case.
The 29-year-old backpacker was then reporter missing for a second time last Friday.
Jessica had recently been evicted from her flat and had been living in St Christopher’s Inn hostel on Borough High Street.
Mr Walters told the that it was very out of character for Jessica to just go missing as she was normally "very reliable".
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He said: "Then she didn’t show up to work on Thursday and then when she didn’t show up on Friday I reached out to her father in Australia.
"He told me the police had been alerted and is being dealt with by the missing persons unit."
Jessica Parkinson timeline
December 8 - Jessica was last seen leaving backpacking hostel St Christopher's Inn at Bermondsey two weeks ago.
December 8 - Later that day she was reported missing by her father after she failed to make contact with relatives in Queensland, Australia.
December 11 - Jessica is last seen at her workplace, barbecue restaurant Texas Joes.
December 11 evening - Sent a 'cryptic' message to another member of staff later that night.
December 13 - Workplace contacted Jessica's dad after she missed her shifts on Thursday December 12 and Friday, December 13.
December 13 - She was then reported missing again after not turning up for three shifts in a row.
December 15 - Jessica is reportedly spotted looking "dishevelled" walking north on Borough High Street near St Christopher's Inn
December 19 - Jessica found safe and well