FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP — The last time Donna Lacerra saw her daughter, Stephanie Ortiz, the 18-year-old was leaving for work at the Menlo Park Mall in Edison on Sunday afternoon.

She never made it.

Now, police are looking for the Franklin Township High School senior while her family and friends anxiously wait for details on the young woman's whereabouts.

"If she ran away, I'm still stuck on the reason why," Lacerra said tonight. "She had no reason to."

The family first learned of Ortiz's disappearance early Sunday evening, when her father and older sister tried to visit her at work. But they were told Ortiz never arrived, prompting the family to report her as missing to authorities Monday evening.

Since then, the family has tried to call her cell phone, which has been turned off since Sunday, save for a brief three-hour window on Monday afternoon, Lacerra said. But Ortiz didn't answer repeated calls, and although the family, using a GPS application in the phone, tracked the device to the Edison area around Route 27 near the Pines Manor banquet hall, they haven't had any luck finding her.

Ortiz doesn't own a car and doesn't even have a driver's license, Lacerra said. Ortiz told her mother she was being dropped off at work by a friend, who in turn told the family she never picked her up that day, Lacerra added.

Franklin Township police Detective Sgt. Darrin Russo confirmed authorities are looking for Ortiz, but would not comment on whether foul play could be involved or the nature of the investigation.

Family members and friends have been spreading news of Ortiz's disappearance on Facebook throughout the week, and have been posting flyers at the high school and at the mall where she worked. Tonight, her brother and older sister, Ryan and Debbie, made an announcement at a high school wrestling match to draw attention to Stephanie's case.

"We're just really, really worried," said Debbie, adding that Stephanie didn't take a bag with her on Sunday, and even left her jacket at home. "And if she is somewhere, and doesn't want to come home, (we hope) she's eating and she's all right."

But Lacerra, who described her daughter as a "homebody," said her daughter doesn't have a history of running away, and when she's not home, she's either at work, school or at her boyfriend's house. And Lacerra said she has a good relationship with her daughter.

"Were there any arguments between her and I? No," she said. "We get along just fine."

Lacerra described her daughter as about 5-foot-4, weighing about 120 pounds with shoulder-length medium to dark brown hair and brown eyes. The teenager often wears glasses, Lacerra said, adding that she was wearing dark navy jeans, black boots and a long-sleeve forest green shirt the last time she saw her. Ortiz does not have any distinguishing marks such as tattoos.

Anyone with information is urged to contact the Franklin Township police department at (732) 873-2300.