Bay Area mother who went missing in Texas found safe, family says

HOUSTON, Texas -- A Bay Area family says that a young mother who disappeared in Houston has been found safe.

PREVIOUS REPORT: Family searching for Bay Area mother who went missing after being discharged from TX clinic

Danielle Friedland, 36, is from Piedmont and was receiving mental healthcare in Houston. She was set to fly home last Wednesday, where she would continue care and reunite with her two children just in time for Thanksgiving. However, she never boarded her plane at George Bush Intercontinental Airport, prompting a search.

"We are relieved to say that around 2:30am last night, with the help of the Houston Police Department, we were able to locate Dani, make contact with her, and she is now safe," her family said in a statement released Wednesday.

The statement continues: "We wanted to express our deepest gratitude to the Houston community for everything you did to help us find Dani. We were welcomed in with open arms, and without exception received help, love, and incredible support.

We know there are so many more that helped us over this last week, but we wanted to specifically thank Chief Finner, Commanders Faulhaber and Hassig and the Houston Police Department for their tireless work and determination to find her.

We also wanted to thank the Impact Houston church. You opened your doors, offered us food and help, and we will be forever grateful for the assistance your congregation provided. Further thanks to the local Jewish community, the Houston Constables, the Homeless Outreach Team, and the incredible shelters and organizations that provide services in Houston. We also wanted to thank the local unhoused community who showed us so much kindness, helped distribute fliers, looked for Dani, and provided us with information on areas to search.

We are so thankful to you all and so many more for helping us during the hardest week of our lives. As we move into the next steps for Dani and the rest of the family, we ask for privacy so we can begin to heal."

Houston police say they received a tip on her location Tuesday night, and when police went to where she recently used a credit card, they found her in the area.

Friedland reportedly had some non-life threatening injuries and was taken to the hospital.

Her family told our sister station KTRK in Houston that she had been going through an unexpected but ongoing mental health issue for several months.