[UPDATED with Woman Reunited with Family:] Erika Lopez is Missing and Off Her Meds

​UPDATE, SEPT. 19, 6:08 P.M.: The Newport Beach-by-way-of-Boston woman who had been missing since Aug. 23 was found Monday in Irvine and reunited with her frantic family. Many feared the worst because Erika Lopez was alone, homeless, without a car and off her medication for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. She'd been sighted in Newport Beach, Huntington Beach and Fullerton in recent weeks. If we've learned anything, it's you don't want to be homeless, alone and off your schizophrenia meds in Fullerton.

Lopez was found in good health near Michelson Drive and Harvard Avenue in Irvine before her grateful family was contacted.

UPDATE, SEPT. 8, 4:46 P.M.: How do you say this without coming off creepy, especially since the subject is a missing person of the opposite sex who is young enough to be, well, your much, much, much younger niece?

OK, here is goes: Erika Lopez, who has been missing since Aug. 23, is a very attractive 24-year-old woman, at least she is based on the photos her family is passing around in an attempt to find her. And, as everyone knows, pictures don't lie.

Whew! I said it. Now I can move on to the more important fact than she has apparently been spotted twice in Huntington Beach, in the pier area. Because of all the bad things can happen in the HB Pier area, and Lopez's previously noted attractiveness, let alone that she's apparently off her medication for bipolar disorder . . . well, it's not exactly comforting.

Photo courtesy of Stefanie Facada

Have you seen her?

​Corona del Mar Patch has the scoop on her Boston-based brother traveling to OC to find his "tiny" older sister. Anthony Desousa and other family members get up every morning at 5 to begin looking, handing out fliers, talking to local businesses and reaching out to advocates for the homeless.

She moved to Newport Beach 2 1/2 years ago, but in recent weeks lost her job, car, cell phone and boyfriend and didn't renew the lease on her apartment. Anyone with information is asked to contact Newport Beach Police Detective Scott Smith at 949.644.3762. And, as Patch notes, if you want to help Lopez's family search for her, call Desousa at 857.294.4308.

​ORIGINAL POST, SEPT. 2, 8:46 A.M.: A family from Boston and Newport Beach Police are reaching out to the public for help in finding a 24-year-old woman who has been missing for a week.

Locating Erika Lopez is more critical because it is believed she has stopped taking her schizophrenia medication.

She is described as Hispanic, 4 feet 11, 95 pounds with brown eyes, a thin build and shoulder length light brown hair.

She was last seen wearing a pink sweatshirt and white sweatpants.

Lopez moved to California with a boyfriend two years ago, but they have since broken up. She'd been living alone in an apartment ever since and was last seen Aug. 24.

Anyone with information about her whereabouts is asked to contact Newport Beach Police at 949.254.4388 or 954.242.4236.