Friends and family are increasingly worried about a 34-year-old American, last seen in Toronto more than a week ago, whose two sons died in a 2014 tornado.

April Burkle flew from Houston to Toronto on Oct. 10 to meet a friend, family spokesperson Alexis Cauthen told the Star in an interview.

Burkle was supposed to get a drive with her friend to Hamilton, but ended up refusing the ride.

She instead hopped in a cab bound for downtown Toronto, said Cauthen, who has been friends with Burkle for nearly a decade and was her neighbour in the small town of Vilonia, Ark.

Friends and family haven’t heard from Burkle since she left Houston, Cauthen said.

Burkle was severely injured in the Arkansas tornado that killed her kids — aged 7 and 9 at the time — more than five years ago, according to her friend.

Cauthen believes that Burkle has suffered from PTSD since losing her children and that it “might have had an effect on some of her decision making,” over the past week, telling the Star that “something may have gotten triggered when she was on the plane.”

“I really don’t know where she is as far as her mental state right now,” Cauthen said.

On Oct. 21, Cauthen said Burkle accompanied 44-year-old Troy Warner to a Toronto police station. Police had earlier issued a news release asking for the public’s assistance in locating Warner, who had last been seen near Queen Street West and Ossington Avenue.

Warner was reported to be an “elopee,” which is how police describe a patient subject to detention at a psychiatric facility who leaves without permission.

Cauthen said that Toronto police called Burkle’s aunt, telling her that Burkle had a “calming influence” on Warner which is why she was brought to the station. Burkle then left the station after interacting with police, and slipped back out into the city, Cauthen said.

When asked to confirm Cauthen’s story, Const. Allyson Douglas-Cook couldn’t say whether Burkle had been at a police station.

Burkle’s birthday was Oct. 23. Cauthen said that friends and family sent her texts and messages, but that no one heard back.

“That’s when we knew something might really be wrong,” Cauthen said.

Five days after her birthday, police released a picture of Burkle, stating that she was missing and last seen around Peter and Queen streets on Oct. 22, a day after she was reportedly at the police station.

Cauthen said that American authorities have been providing Burkle’s family and friends with daily morning updates on their search.

Douglas-Cook could not provide any updates on the ongoing investigation, saying only that American authorities are involved in the effort.

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Police say Burkle is 5-foot-5, 140 pounds, with a medium build, long brown hair and brown eyes.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-5200, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477), online at www.222tips.com, on the Leave a Tip Facebook page, or text “TOR” and your message to CRIMES (274637).