AMBER Alert, search continues for Waxahachie 12-year-old
UPDATE 2/16 10:37 a.m. : Waxahachie police are continuing to search for a 12-year-old after an AMBER Alert was issued for her Thursday morning. They say she could be in very serious danger.
On Friday morning, police shared this statement regarding their efforts:
"At this time, [the young girl] has not been located. Despite working diligently throughout the night, our investigators at the Waxahachie Police Department and the Homeland Security Investigations North Texas Trafficking Task Force have investigated and ruled out all viable leads on where she might be. Our department along with other departments across North Texas have dedicated valuable resources and personnel to this effort, but we do not have enough information at this time to sustain the dedicated, large-scale search for [her].
This does not mean that our search is over. The Waxahachie Police Department is still investigating [her] disappearance, and we are still dedicated to bringing her home safely. We are still receiving tips because of the active Amber Alert, and we are following up on these tips as they come in. We will continue to work on this case until [she] is brought home to her family.
Although we believe she was in Denton yesterday, [she] has proven to be very mobile and could be anywhere. If someone sees a girl matching her description, we ask that they call their local authorities immediately."
UPDATE 2/15 6:04 p.m. - Waxahachie police have shared new details regarding a 12-year-old missing girl. They tell CBS News Texas they have reason to believe she was seen around the University of North Texas campus Wednesday. She was spotted wearing black clothes with fuzzy slippers, and was wearing a wig with straight, black hair. If you see her near UNT in Denton, call 911 immediately.
Unfortunately, this is not the first time this young girl has been in danger - she went missing back in July 2023. Special Agent John Perez with the North Texas Trafficking Task Force says she was in an abusive situation at the time, was found and returned home.
If you've seen her or know where she might be, police are asking you to contact them immediately.
WAXAHACHIE 2/15 6:42 a.m. - An AMBER Alert has been issued for a missing 12-year-old out of Waxahachie.
Police tell CBS News Texas they are "deeply troubled regarding the safety and well-being" of her and they're asking for the public's help to find her.
The girl is described as 5'7" with black hair and brown eyes. Police say they believe she went missing in the over night hours Tuesday night into Wednesday morning. She was last seen on Brenna Road in Waxahachie, whcih is just west of Hwy 287 and near Oliver Clift Elementary School.
In a statement Waxahachie police said: "After investigating leads from cell phone calls, messages, and social media accounts from across the country and throughout the night, we have exhausted all possible leads. Our investigation has led us to believe that [her] well-being is at serious risk..."
Members of the Homeland Security Investigations North Texas Trafficking Task Force are also working to find her.
When we asked Waxahachie police why those two entities are involved in the case, they told us, "The North Texas Trafficking Task Force is a proactive investigative team with tremendous resources available. Because of their capabilities and expertise in locating missing individuals, we were happy to utilize their assistance."
If you've seen the girl or know where she might be, police are asking you to contact them immediately.
