Missing schoolgirl Caitlin Wright ran away to meet a secret “boyfriend” who she met on Snapchat, her distraught mother has said.
She also claimed the teenager could be being held against her will.
Police are “very concerned” for the safety of Caitlin after the search for the 14-year-old moved into its second day.
Caitlin was last seen near Primark in Burton town centre at 11.30am on Sunday.
It is thought Caitlin travelled to Birmingham, 28 miles away, and Derbyshire Police is appealing for information about her whereabouts.
Her mother, Claire Keight, 37, said: “On Sunday morning we both got up early and she asked me to transfer her Christmas money of £37 into her account, which I did.
“When we went into town she took £30 out in cash and just went off. All we know is she took a train to Birmingham.
“Her friends told us she’d met a boy of around the same age on Snapchat and was going to run away with him.
“She has £7 in her account and she’s in Birmingham. We have no idea where she is or who’s with. We don’t even know if she’s being held against her will.
“She suffers from anxiety and panic attacks.”
She went on: “We are getting all these details drip fed from her friends or kids.
“I actually found out the name of the boy she was supposed to be meeting and called him.
“He was just a kid and confirmed he knew where she was but wouldn’t say if he had met her.
“Her friends said she was going to Birmingham to run away with this online boyfriend we knew nothing about.”
She added: “We’re all frantic and I’m just crying all the time.
“Caitlin has never done anything like this before. She’s a good kid and we had a really lovely Christmas. I just want her home safe.”
Caitlin is from Swadlincote, a town five miles from Burton.
She is described as white, of medium build, with long blonde hair.
She was wearing a red, white and blue hoodie, black jogging bottoms, a black bandana as a headband, and white trainers. Caitlin also wears a black nose ring.
