Jessie Schutz is missing. Her mother believes that she may be in Seattle, or possibly Tacoma, but so far no one Mrs. Schutz has spoken to or contacted has seen her.

At 16 years old, Jessie is apparently living on the streets and likely does not have her asthma medication. On Saturday, Dec. 15, she waited until her parents were at work and slipped out, leaving nothing behind to indicate her whereabouts. And though her family has contacted the local police, they have not agreed to file a police report.

According to mother, Janice Schutz of Federal Way, there is little they can do because Jessie doesn't fit their criteria. "Whatever their criteria is ... and news stations we contacted won't do a story unless a police report is filed."

The difficulty is, this isn't the first time Jessie has left home.

"This is the sixth time in six months ... the first time, last June, it was in a fit of anger, but she was only gone for about 12 hours."

Janice Schutz pulls out a three-inch-thick folder filled with paperwork. "She went from helping out at the Dream Center in Federal Way, doing community service ... and being a synchronized swimmer, making it to nationals five years in a row ... to this."

A form produced with a Children's Hospital letterhead shows a formal diagnosis of schizophrenia.

"Jessie has been in the hospital many times for her asthma, but she has rages too." Jessie has medication for this as well, but Janice isn't sure if she took any of it with her.

"It was working quite well...when she's here, she's as lovable as a puppy."

The situation is made more difficult because of privacy laws in Washington state for juveniles.

"The shelters won't tell us if she's been there ... there's a big difference between helping and enabling ... they're making her privacy more important than her family knowing if she is safe."

Now that more than 12 days have passed, and with Christmas over and the New Year so close, the strain and confusion is becoming more difficult.

"It's agony not knowing ... someone could be holding her captive in a basement ... or ... is she just out having fun with friends?"

The Shutz' try to remain positive and carry on with holiday routines. Jessie's older sister Kristen makes cookies with family friend Kelly, but the worry never stops.

"Her (other) friends don't understand ... they've spent hours out there looking for her, passing out flyers, posting on Myspace," says Kristen. And though Jessie has a Myspace account of her own, she hasn't posted anything on it lately.

Adds Kristen, "She calls me, and sometimes leaves messages on my account ... I just want to know if she's ok."

Janice Schutz believes Jessie may be in the University District or near Westlake, since this was where she had gone before, but that she may also be avoiding those areas for that reason.

"There are homeless camps near where the Kingdome was ... she might be there somewhere."

Kristen pointed out that two days before Jessie left, she had re-dyed her hair. "It's sort of red, with a bluish tint."

If you know Jessie and the family, her mother asks that you notify them of her location. And though Jessie's phone has apparently not been used, Janice keeps her own phone with her at all times and sleeps with it next to her head. "Just come home ... or at least call me."

Jessie is white, about 5 feet 5 inches tall and 160 pounds. She sometimes goes by the nicknames 'Birdy, 'Twitchum' and 'Ghost.'

For additional information. go to the Washington State Patrol's Missing Children Photo page at www.wsp.wa.gov/missing/missing_posters/schutz.htm.

The number for the WSP clearinghouse is 1-800-543-5678, and 1-800-843-5678 is the number for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

The number for the Federal Way Police Department is 253-835-6856.