SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – The Santa Barbara news anchor who was reported missing by her family has returned home.
Sheriff's spokeswoman Kelly Hoover says Paula Lopez's family members reported that she returned about 5:30 p.m. Wednesday. They had alerted authorities that she was missing around 10 a.m. that day.
Their report prompted a search conducted by deputies, two K-9 units, a helicopter, detectives and search and rescue personnel.
Hoover declined to comment on the reasons surrounding Lopez' disappearance, citing a private family matter.
The 48-year-old Lopez is a co-anchor of the 11 p.m. newscast at KEYT, an ABC affiliate, where she has worked since 1996.
Before that, she worked at KCAL-9 in Los Angeles for six years, according to her biography.
She is married to Superior Court Judge Frank Ochoa and has three children.
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