I struggle to agree that they feel she left and will return at some point mainly due to what her father stated at the press conference.
He said, " We miss her, we love her, and its one of the hardest things a father can do is have a child taken away, way, way too soon. All we want is her to come back to us. Laura if you're out there listening, pick up the phone. Whoever may be out there helping or hiding her, please come forward and make it happen."
Link to reference quote. https://www.washingtonpost.com/loca...478688d23b4_story.html?utm_term=.1ff9548352e7
IMO, that doesn't sound like the words of someone who thinks she left willingly and will return. The $25,000 reward is also odd for someone who left on their own accord. I also recall the text message she sent being disturbing, so much so, that Laura's father called the school on Tuesday to see if she showed up.
JMO but all those factors do not add up to someone willingly walking off.
The "helping her" part makes me think it is still a possibility in his mind that she went willingly.