This Philadelphia teen is missing. His family says he may have been lured to California through online gaming.
Lashante Crocker-Johnson said she's praying for her son Jahmez Cartwright's safe return.
"I been feeling numb, lost. I think he's in trouble," she said of her 18-year-old son. "He's not answering nobody's texts. Everyone has been trying to get in touch with him. The messages are delivering, but he's not responding."
Johnson said the last time she saw her son was on Monday at 7:00 a.m. in the 6500 block of Linmore Avenue in Southwest Philadelphia.
Jahmez was leaving home at the time and was on his way to Hardy Williams High School, where he's a student, but Johnson said he never showed up.
"We text every day," she said. "He never gave me any suspicion that he was going to be doing anything like this."
Johnson said Jahmez has a learning disability, and she believes someone may have taken advantage of her son.
Philadelphia Police are now investigating and learned his phone last pinged in San Diego.
Johnson said her son, who was an avid gamer, may have been lured away from Philadelphia by a man he communicated with through a popular online gaming app.
"I don't even know how he got there," she said. "Like how did you get there so fast? You just left me Monday at 7:00 a.m., gave me a kiss and hug and said you were going to school. You don't even have an I.D. Like I don't understand."
Johnson is also getting help from The Black and Missing Foundation, which is a nonprofit that helps find missing people.
Co-founder Derricka Wilson is now warning parents about the dangers of online gaming.
"It's so important for families, grandparents, parents, and caregivers to realize the dangers of online gaming," she said.
Johnson is growing concerned for her son's safety with each day that goes by. She, along with police, is urging anyone with information about Jahmez to come forward and contact the authorities.
