Yvonne Baldelli Disappearance: Mother of missing woman desperate for answers

By: Crimesider Staff
Topics: Daily Blotter

Yvonne Baldelli

/ Personal Photo

(CBS/AP) PANAMA CITY - A mother searching for her daughter in Panama reportedly said on Monday that she is desperate for answers in the case.

Pictures: Calif. woman vanishes in Panama

This statement comes just after authorities named an American man as a person of interest in the disappearance of California woman Yvonne Baldelli.

Baldelli was last seen near Panama's border with Costa Rica in November. Authorities in Panama and the United States haven't identified Brian Brimager as a suspect in the disappearance of the 42-year-old, who was reportedly dating the ex-Marine. However, a national police official in Panama says Brimager has now raised the interest of investigators.

The mother, who is Panama to keep tabs on the search, says she thinks her daughter is dead. She is begging for Brimager to say what he knows about what happened to her. Baldelli was reported missing by her family in January.

"As you can imagine, as a mom, it's very hard to leave here without Yvonne in my hand," Lillian Faust, Baldelli's mother, told FoxNews.com from her Panama hotel.

Faust, who was reportedly too emotional to speak about the case in detail, said Panamanian authorities are "doing everything they can" to uncover what happened to her daughter.

Panama police said Brimager left Panama for Costa Rica and the United States some 10 days after last being seen with Baldelli in November.

Panama national police official Alexis Munoz told the Associated Press that witnesses at the hotel said that the couple had a "violent" relationship and frequently fought and argued.

More on Crimesider:

April 30, 2012 - Yvonne Baldelli Disappearance: Panama police name Brian Brimager as a person of interest in missing woman case

April 25, 2012 - Yvonne Baldelli Missing: FBI looking for California woman who vanished in Panama