TERRE HAUTE — Authorities are now looking for a “vehicle of interest” in the disappearance of 12-year-old Alyssa Marie Sedletzeck, a student at Otter Creek Middle School.

“We have two independent reports of a similar vehicle in that area driving in an unusual manner,” said Clark Cottom, chief deputy with the Vigo County Sheriff’s Department.

The vehicle is a white, smaller pickup truck with blue and turquoise accents on the bottom.

One witness saw the pickup going in reverse on Hasselburger Avenue “within a very close time to Alyssa’s disappearance,” Cottom said. The truck was seen within about a half-mile of Howard Subdivision, where Sedletzeck lives on North Page Street.

A separate witness also saw a smaller white pickup with blue accent at the bottom traveling on one street over from where  Alyssa was walking, Cottom said.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the sheriff’s department at (812) 232-3801 or Crime Stoppers at (812) 238-STOP. “We’re asking for the public’s help if anyone knows someone who drives a vehicle like that,” he said.

Authorities say the Sedletzeck was last seen around 5:30 to 6 p.m. Sunday at her family’s home in the Howard Subdivision, just off U.S. 41 at Hasselburger Avenue. When she left, Alyssa indicated to her parents that she was going to visit a friend who lived in the same neighborhood. The friend has stated that Alyssa never arrived.

A neighbor observed a high school or college-aged male, with a football stature, walking toward a creek with Alyssa. She was in possession of a cell phone at the time of the disappearance, but there has been no activity, and the phone is now turned off. Alyssa did not take any possessions with her to indicate running away.

Deputy Cottom also said that on Sunday, Sedletzeck’s Facebook page mentioned she was “in a relationship,” but it did not include a name.

“We have a strong interest in who that person is if any citizen out there might be able to help enlighten us on who she is in a relationship with,” Cottom said. Authorities have submitted subpoenas to Facebook and Alyssa’s cell phone company to look closely at messaging, chats and text messages.

“We have spoken to literally dozens of her friends and associates and as of now, everybody is telling us they haven’t seen her or had any communication with her,” Cottom said.

He anticipated there will be more searches, but he did not have a time or location.

Tracker dogs had positive results on her scent Wednesday night, but they lost the scent at Hasselburger Road, he said.