CA CA - Katherine Kerwood, 21, UK tourist, reported missing in San Francisco, 3 April 2026

[imstilla.grandma]

• Katherine Kerwood, a 21-year-old British citizen, has been reported missing after traveling to San Francisco from London for a sightseeing trip.
• Kerwood’s family last heard from her via text on Friday after she previously claimed to be at a hostel in Sacramento where she never checked in.
• Airport security footage shows Kerwood meeting a man named David, whom she met in the United Kingdom, at San Francisco International Airport.
• https://www.ktvu.com/news/21-year-old-uk-tourist-reported-missing-san-francisco

 

[GraceG]

Her full name is Katherine Esther Gamboa Kerwood. Sacremento is some distance from San Francisco. I'm wondering if the man she met would have driven her there? In reading further it was stated she was on a sightseeing trip (one of her friends online referred to it as "backpacking" though that's social media so not verified).

She arrived in SFO March 31 for a weeklong itinerary that included stops in Sacramento, Calaveras Big Trees State Park, San Francisco, and Santa Cruz, according to her family.

Kerwood’s father stated that security camera footage from SFO shows her meeting a man carrying flowers upon her arrival.

The family later discovered she had previously met the man, identified only as David, in the U.K.

She is currently scheduled to fly back to London on Wednesday.

https://www.ktvu.com/news/21-year-old-uk-tourist-reported-missing-san-francisco

 

[imstilla.grandma]

The next time Kerwood’s family heard from her was Friday when they received a text saying she was still staying at the hostel. Family friend Ali Zaidi told KTVU that immediately following the text, Kerwood’s family asked to speak to her on the phone — as she’s normally very communicative, and there was no further response. They later discovered she never checked into the hostel.

"She's generally very responsive and the fact that she didn't message for hours is the first signal," Zaidi said. "Second, when she messaged they said, 'Hey, let's get on the phone,' and immediately she didn't respond."

British Tourist Goes Missing After Arriving at SFO, Footage Shows Man Meeting Her

The family of Katherine Kerwood, a 21-year-old woman from the UK who landed at SFO for a solo tour of Northern California last Tuesday, are searching for her whereabouts after her phone went silent Friday and they learned she never checked into her hostel when she landed.

sfist.com

 

[Lucy6226]

It sounds like Katherine was in a relationship she was keeping hidden from her family. I wonder why that would be? I wonder if she was actually booked into the hostel and didn't check in or if she wasn't booked in at all and was planning to stay with David instead? It's very worrying either way

All moo

 

[annpats]

....and trip of just 7 days isn't a very long time to see the Bay Area if it was a genuine holiday. The flight is 10 hours each way.
I think it was a plan to meet up with him, and she told her friends and family she was going to visit Big Trees State Park, Sacramento and Santa Cruz, etc.....(which itself is a lot of travelling about California for a few days, if it were true?

 

[TexLil]

Very concerning! Let's see if i have this right?

1) She told friends and family in the UK she was doing a solo backpacking trip for a week in California?
2) Then she arrived at San Francisco Airport Tuesday 3/31 and was welcomed by a man named David who had flowers (seen on video).
3) Family discovered later she met David while still in the UK. She had apparently kept him a secret. (why?)
4) Family was presumably receiving updates from her phone Tues - Fri. (?)
5) Friday family asked for update and text from her phone said she was in Sacramento in a hostel. Family asked to speak by phone. No further response.
6) No record of her ever being checked into that hostel.

Any corrections?

If accurate, she could be okay (i hope) but hiding out with David. Hopefully she will get on plane Wednesday!

There's also the horrifying possibility that she didn't have a clue who David really was and he was scamming/luring her to take advantage/harm her in some way.

I hope her phone can be tracked.

Moo

 

[haggis]

 

[submarine7]

View attachment 657490

Why would a 21 year old woman hide a romance?

 

[Lucy6226]

Why would a 21 year old woman hide a romance?

Family disapproval I would guess. Families are often cautious about online/long distance relationships. As technology develops I would imagine it becomes much more of an issue with AI and deep fake availability imo.

Obviously there's nothing wrong with online or LDR's. There can be just as much risk, if not more, dating in real life.

 

[whitelilac]

There's a video of a family friend speaking, and a picture of Katherine with her parents. I'm wondering, is the father Indian, maybe the mom too? One of her surnames is Gamboa. Might the parents have disapproved of their daughter dating? But they did allow her to go to CA for a sightseeing trip.
Missing UK tourist sought in San Francisco

 

[Kemug]

Being in Australia, I don't find a 10 hour flight to be somewhere for a week particularly unusual. I wouldn't be worrying about that. It's a nearly 9 hour flight from Sydney to Singapore, and plenty of people do that. It's just what Australians do to get anywhere!

 

[Kemug]

It's entirely possible that her parents are overprotective, and their religion, whatever it may or may not be, may come into play too.

 

[submarine7]

There's a video of a family friend speaking, and a picture of Katherine with her parents. I'm wondering, is the father Indian, maybe the mom too? One of her surnames is Gamboa. Might the parents have disapproved of their daughter dating? But they did allow her to go to CA for a sightseeing trip.
Missing UK tourist sought in San Francisco

I think you're right.

 

[Tortoise]

Victor Gamboa told The Sun: “We are relieved to inform you that Katherine has been found safe.”

It is not yet known where she was found or what led to her sudden disappearance – or why she failed to contact her family for days.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/38743605/brit-tourist-vanishes-after-meeting-man-san-francisco-airport/

 

[Bethan]

Great news!!

 

[TexLil]

So thankful to hear the amazing news!

 

[GraceG]

It's entirely possible that her parents are overprotective, and their religion, whatever it may or may not be, may come into play too.

I didn't tell my family about my future husband until we were practically married. I was 24 years older than he and I figured they would HATE that. He was highly educated and had his own house and money but I was so afraid they'd find fault. They loved him, even my big brother who hated my first husband and every guy I ever dated. 20 years later we're still married and happy. I'm SO happy she is safe!!!!

 

[submarine7]

Wonderful news

 

[ErinC]

Victor Gamboa told The Sun: “We are relieved to inform you that Katherine has been found safe.”

It is not yet known where she was found or what led to her sudden disappearance – or why she failed to contact her family for days.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/38743605/brit-tourist-vanishes-after-meeting-man-san-francisco-airport/

Oh thank heavens. I get so nervous when I hear the combo of "pretty young girl, traveling abroad, now missing".