HAMILTON—A Hamilton police specialized ground search team was out Wednesday conducting a systematic grid search of the area where a missing 27-year-old woman was last seen.

As officers intensified their search in the 300 metres around Holly Ellsworth-Clark’s residence on Sanford Avenue North, near Bristol Street, her family organized searches of their own.

“We’re hopeful but very worried,” said her sister Kate Clark, who was working to organize volunteer searches.

Ellsworth-Clark left her residence around 4 p.m. Jan. 11, in a state of crisis. Police do not know why she left or where she was going, but say she was not dressed for the weather.

“Our concern is Holly left in a state of crisis and ... Saturday afternoon there was quite the torrential downpour, it was quite cold over the weekend,” said Staff Sgt. Dave Oleniuk, who heads the Hamilton police central criminal investigations branch.

Ellsworth-Clark was reported missing Saturday afternoon and officers began looking for her right away, he said. Detectives from the criminal investigations branch began looking into the case Sunday.

The 27-year-old is athletic and was known to run trails, so police have checked nearby trails, including Albion Falls and the rail trail.

But the team brought in to lead the ground search Jan. 15 is more specialized. They were going door-to-door and yard-to-yard, looking for any bit of information.

“Our concern is for her safety and our hope is that she simply found shelter locally somewhere and, perhaps, in a disoriented state, is waiting to be found,” Oleniuk said.

There is no evidence of criminality, but police and family are concerned for her safety. None of her family live in Hamilton and she doesn’t know many people in the city.

Almost immediately after she was reported missing, Ellsworth-Clark’s parents flew in from Calgary, where the 27-year-old grew up. Her brother and sister have also been working to find her.

The family met with a group of volunteers at Bayfront Park around 1 p.m. Wednesday and spread out to do their own search of trails and streets. They have also put up posters.

Kate Clark said her sister moved to Hamilton in October with the hope of launching a music career.

She recently suffered some disappointments and, while she usually was in touch with family all the time, she had been more isolated recently, Kate said.

Holly is a wrestler and is very skilled outdoors as the family spent time camping, she said.

Kate said her sister spent time outside to deal with her loneliness, and so the family thinks she may be outside and taking shelter somewhere.

“She’s never done anything like this before,” Kate said.

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The family is planning further searches and say anyone is welcome to join. They are asking for identification and for participants to register on a sign-up sheet.

For more information about the ground search, visit Facebook.com and search “Holly Clark search.”

Ellsworth-Clark is described as six-foot-one, approximately 200 pounds, with an athletic build. She was last seen in a black, long-sleeve shirt, black pants, black boots and possibly with a black backpack.

Downtown Hamilton residents are asked to check backyards and sheds. Anyone with video surveillance is also being asked to check their camera for footage between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. Saturday evening.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Hamilton Police Service at 905-546-4925.