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Missing woman found living in San Francisco airport

Sukhjit Purewal in San Jose

A San Jose woman who had been missing for three weeks was found staying at the San Francisco international airport.

Sangeeta Padmanabham, 32, was last seen walking outside her north San Jose home at about 11am on July 1. She was reported missing the next day, San Jose police spokesman Rubens Dalaison told rediff.com

The airport had not contacted police about Sangeeta. Dalaison said that considering the size of the airport, it was understandable that her long presence there went undetected.

According to Dalaison, family friends had seen Sangeeta at the airport several days ago, but did not know that anything was amiss.

Several days later on July 24, the San Jose Mercury News ran a story about missing Bay Area people in light of the Chandra Levy investigation. The story included a photo of Sangeeta.

After seeing the photo, the family friends contacted Sangeeta's husband and told him they had seen her at the airport, Dalaison said.

Her husband found Sangeeta near the United Airlines terminal.

Police had feared for her safety because she had left a suicide note, Dalaison said. "She had made one attempt at suicide," said Dalaison. "She had gone to the Golden Gate Bridge, but returned."

The police spokesman said he did not know how Sangeeta had reached the airport, nor could he confirm whether she suffered from postpartum depression following the birth of a child, as reported by the Mercury News.

"All that matters is that she is back home," Dalaison said. "Her husband said he will get her the help she needs."

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