Missing Berkeley Student's Family Extends Reward On 20th Birthday

BERKELEY, CA — The parents of a missing woman who attended the University of California, Berkeley extended a $25,000 reward for information leading to her return on their daughter's 20th birthday.

Sydney "Syd" Kaitlyn West was last seen on Sept. 30 at 6:45 a.m., a foggy San Francisco morning, on the Golden Gate Bridge. West is a white woman who stands 5 feet, 10 inches tall and weighs about 130 pounds. She may be wearing glasses.

The reward was previously $10,000 and was raised to $25,000 on the six-month anniversary of her disappearance. It expired July 1 and was extended July 11.

"I don’t know where you are. Or if you’re gone," said her father, Jay West, in a video filmed on a beach the family frequented last summer. "But I’m your dad, and I will never stop looking. If you’re out there, raise your hand. Get help."

West was born in Walnut Creek and lived briefly in Castro Valley before her family moved to Pleasanton. She was a student at Donlon Elementary and Hart Middle schools and attended Foothill High School for her freshman and sophomore years.

Her family relocated to Orange County in North Carolina in July 2017. West returned to the Bay Area to attend UC Berkeley, where she studied briefly before deciding to defer her freshman year to the fall of 2021 because of the coronavirus pandemic. She moved in with friends in San Francisco, where she was living when she disappeared.

West's parents remain in North Carolina with her younger sister.

Her parents hired a private investigator, who has looked into dozens of tips. None have led to West's location. Her family believed she could be anywhere by now, such as Oregon, Nevada, Colorado or Utah.

"We want our girl home with us," her father said. "Find your way home, Syd."

West's phone, social media and bank accounts have not been used since she went missing. Surveillance camera footage in the area of her disappearance has been reviewed, and friends and acquaintances have been interviewed to no avail, according to the parents' statement.

West's parents also created a new website, findsydneywest.com, in addition to their efforts to #FindSydneyWest on Facebook and Instagram, they said.

The website included photos of West and posters related to the campaign to bring her home. It also included a frequently asked questions section with new details about West's life leading up to the months before her disappearance. A vigil was held in October for West in Pleasanton.

West made the decision to take a break from UC Berkeley after suffering a concussion in summer 2020 that made it difficult for her to engage with virtual classes, according to the website for the search. She decided to hold off on returning until she could make a more complete recovery.

West frequented the area of the bridge, the site said. She liked to go for walks and runs there and to take photos. She arrived at the area around the time of her disappearance after taking an Uber. The driver was interviewed by police and is not a suspect, the website said.

West, who is very close with her family, was reported missing after her family received no response after multiple attempts to contact her. She had a long phone call with her dad on the evening before her disappearance, according to the website.

"We all love you so much," her father said. "Happy birthday.”

Anyone with information was asked to contact Scott Dudek, private investigator, at 925-705-8328. He will handle any reward payout.

People may also contact the San Francisco Police Department tip line at 415-575-4444 or text TIP411 and start the text message with "SFPD."

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