Doncaster woman Dakota Nagel found after police appeal

Doncaster woman Dakota Nagel has been found after an earlier appeal by police.

Dakota Lee Nagel has been located. Picture: Victoria Police

Dakota Lee Nagel has been found alive a week after her baffling disappearance, with family and friends breathing a sigh of relief at her safe return.

Ms Nagel, 24, left her Doncaster home on January 8 and visited several clubs and bars around South Yarra about 2am.

She left her friends on Sunday afternoon and had not been in contact with anyone since.

But police on January 15 confirmed she had been found “safe and well” in the South Yarra area.

The nature of her disappearance remains unclear.

Police on Sunday pleaded for public assistance to find the Doncaster woman after her mother reported her missing.

Ms Nagel’s family say she would never abandon her pet pugs.

She was last seen on the afternoon of January 8. Picture: Victoria Police

It’s understood Ms Nagel is a hair extensions and colour specialist and owns Koda Hair Extensions in South Yarra.

Friends and family started fearing for Ms Nagel’s safety after a “distressing” post on her business’ Instagram page — a screenshot from her iPhone’s lock screen of her dog — was published on January 10.

A friend wrote on social media that the post was “distressing” as she usually just promotes her business on the page.

There was no caption left on the photo that was posted two days after she was last seen.

Ms Nagel’s family pleaded for the public’s assistance and say her disappearance is out of character.

“Our family are worried sick and her puggy fur-babies are distraught. She would not have left them this long,” her aunty, Anne-Maree Key, wrote online.

“Her fur-kids are her life and mean as much to her as ours do. She’s also about to become an aunty and is so excited, so there’s no way she would miss it.

“This is out of character for her to not contact someone.”

Ms Nagel’s cousin urged her friends to “please pray” for her “safe return home.”

Area, a popular nightclub on the Mornington Peninsula, has shared a plea for information about missing woman Dakota Lee Nagel.

“Our beloved Dakota is missing,” the club said in the post.

“Anyone who went to Area in our early days would be familiar with her as she was our door girl for almost 2 years.

“If anybody has any information about her whereabouts, please contact the police!

“We love you Dak, please come home.”

Accompanied by four photos of Ms Nagel at the club with friends, the post has been shared over 50 times by friends, locals and others who worked at the nightclub.

She has been described as being about 157cm, petite build, blonde hair and blue/grey eyes.

Anyone who sees her has been urged to contact triple-0 immediately.