Sunnie Nguyen: Chilling details emerge about the disappearance of one of FIVE missing exchange students set to disappear within a month

A teenage girl who mysteriously disappeared from her home in the middle of the night left with just a few belongings in a backpack – and no word about where she was going.

Sunnie Nguyen, a ‘shy’ 17-year-old who struggles to speak English, is one of five Vietnamese exchange students who have mysteriously disappeared from Adelaide in recent weeks.

The Year 11 student, who has been missing for four days, had dinner with her host family at their home in South Plympton, in the south-west of the city, at around 7pm on Monday before retreating to her room.

But when her host mother May Zervaas went to check her room around 11 p.m., Sunnie was gone — along with her backpack, laptop, a few important identity documents and some clothing.

Her phone has also been switched off and her social media accounts have since been deleted.

“I sat next to my phone all night, anxiously waiting for a call,” daughter Mary Zervaas told Daily Mail Australia.

‘We are very concerned. Her English is not that fluent and she usually relies on someone to translate. She fights the battle alone.

‘She had five bags here at home, but she only left with one. Her two pairs of shoes are gone, but her clothes are still in her wardrobe and dresser.

‘She has her important things, such as her laptop and passport, which we think she usually takes with her as valid ID, and some clothes. But she left everything else here, including all her medications, which is quite important.”

Like Sunnie, the other missing teenagers are also believed to be attending Hamilton Secondary College in Mitchell Park, Adelaide.

They disappeared at different times, with one not being heard from for about a month, although another student turned up this week.

Like many teenage girls, Sunnie loves singing, dancing, spending time with friends and – of course – pop star Taylor Swift.

She has lived with the Zervaas family for the past six months. She has built a routine of going to school, coming home for dinner and spending the evening laughing, dancing and making videos with the family’s two other exchange students.

Mary said Sunnie, who has three years left on her study visa, seemed happy and they do not believe she ran away because she got along well with the family.

Now May, Mary, the two other girls and Sunnie’s best friend – who moved into the Zervaas’ home on Thursday – are all devastated, shocked and confused by her disappearance, as everything in her life seemed “completely normal.”

Authorities are trying to contact Sunnie’s family in Vietnam but have so far been unable to reach them, Mary said.

The Zervaas family has also been in touch with Sunnie’s school friends, but she has not contacted any of them since her phone was disconnected and Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok accounts were closed.

Mary said there were no signs of forced entry into the house and the rest of Sunnie’s belongings, aside from the missing items, remain untouched in her room.

Sunnie has a bank account with access to funds, but the Zervaas family does not know if any withdrawals or transactions have taken place since Monday.

At this stage they do not know if Sunnie was friends or associated with the other students who also disappeared.

A Vietnamese community leader in Adelaide said the five missing students may have traveled interstate.

“I hope this is the case because 17-year-old children want to go somewhere together because of the school holidays and don’t want to tell anyone,” said Lien Nguyen-Navas of the Vietnamese Women’s Association.

“I hope that was the case.”

South Australian police acknowledged in a statement that the teens had been reported missing in December and January.

“All lines of inquiry in the investigation indicate that some of these young people may have made the interstate journey and may still be there,” a police spokesperson said.

“There is currently nothing identified in any investigation that would indicate that these young people are in immediate danger.

“SA Police are working with interstate police colleagues to help locate these young people.”

The Zervaas family hopes that if Sunnie sees this story, she will contact them and let them know that she is doing well.

Mary said Sunnie has a “very pure heart” and is “kind,” but they are very concerned about her well-being as she is super shy and has language difficulties.

“She has come out of her shell with the students here and with us, but when we go out in public she still gets other people to talk for her,” she said.

‘When she first arrived, if she went out alone, she would come home almost straight away because she didn’t speak English.

‘We have done our best to teach her English and encourage her to speak English at home. She has improved a lot, but not enough to get by.”

Sunnie is known to regularly visit Adelaide’s CBD, Marion and South Plympton.

Anyone with information is urged to contact SA Police on 131 444 using report number 2400009568.