MYSTERY surrounds what has happened to a student who texted her friend after being flagged down before vanishing.

Toni Anderson, 20, who studies at the University of Missouri, has not been heard from since 4.42am on Sunday.

3 Friends and family are increasingly frantic over Toni Anderson's whereabouts Credit: Facebook

3 Toni had been pulled over by police on the way to fill her tank Credit: Twitter

And now friends and family are growing increasingly fearful for her safety.

She was driving home from her part-time job in a bar and set off home at about 4am, but needed to refuel at a petrol station first.

But police then pulled her over.

Toni then sent a text message to friend Roxanne Townsend which read: "OMG just just (sic) pulled over again."

Roxy said: "It was exactly 4:42 when she texted me and said, 'I just got pulled over again.'

“She said 'again' because she gets pulled over all the time.

Kansas City police initially did not believe an officer had stopped Toni.

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But police spokesman Darin Snapp later confirmed an officer did pull Toni over for an illegal lane change.

She told the officer she was desperate to get to the petrol station because she was running very low on fuel.

Mr Snapp told Fox4News: "So the officer just told her, you know, there’s a gas station right there, gave her a warning for the violation and watched her actually go to the QuikTrip.

3 Brian and Elizabeth Anderson are pleading for her safe return after her strange dissappearence Credit: Fox News

"After that QuikTrip, it's almost like she vanished."

Police believe Toni was going to meet friends but never showed up.

They are now trying to piece together exactly what happened.

Boyfriend Pete Sanchez says he's frantic.

He said: "Every time I leave the house, I hope the next face I see in public is going to be her," he said.

"It was just like any other night. I just thought she'd come home."

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