Police believe April-lee Gillen's kidnappers are still hiding in the Illawarra, as the net closes in on a black BMW.
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April-lee, 17, was found on Northcliffe Drive at Lake Heights in the early hours of April 20, suffering life-threatening head injuries.
Lake Illawarra Local Area Commander, Detective Superintendent Wayne Starling, said at a briefing on Tuesday that police hadtreated the incident as a kidnapping almost immediately.
"Very early, we realised this was an attempted abduction," he said.
While walking home from her boyfriend's house around midnight, April-lee posted a Facebook update saying she had been approached by a man who asked her to come home with him.
Superintendent Starling said the message was posted "a matter of minutes" before she was thought to have been abducted.
He said April-lee was dragged into a black BMW SUV or 4WD, which drove "a short distance" before she was able to escape and jump from the vehicle.
She suffered critical injuries when her head hit the road. She still suffers memory loss and seizures, after a part of her skull was removed by doctors.
Her mother, Leonie, also fronted Tuesday's briefing.
"The family is still absolutely devastated. We can't believe this happened to April-lee," she said.
"We couldn't begin to thank everyone.
"As a mum, I gained strength from everyone out there."
Superintendent Starling said the two men in the BMW were probably from the Illawarra.
"At 12.20am on a Sunday morning, I would be extremely surprised if it was not someone in this community," he said. "This is a small community. No doubt somebody knows who the driver is."
He said it was unlikely April-lee knew the men, saying the crime was probably "an opportunistic act".
Despite serious memory loss, April-lee has been able to give police some details of the incident.
"There aren't many black BMW SUVs in the area."
Police have again called for information on the black vehicle seen in the area around midnight on April 20.
No other information about the vehicle, or its occupants, was available.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.