Teen vanished from North Carolina six days ago. Now, police suspect foul play

A teenager was last seen in North Carolina six days ago — and now, police suspect foul play in her disappearance.

Miyonna Jones, 16, was spotted along South 7th Street in Wilmington before she vanished early Nov. 1, according to the city’s police department.

Almost one week later, officers in a Nov. 7 news release said there was a “suspect of interest” in the girl’s disappearance. The suspect’s girlfriend faced a court appearance for obstruction charges in the case.

The update comes after a Facebook user named Miaya Sellers identified herself as the teen’s mother and criticized the response from police. Sellers said officers didn’t return her calls in the hours after her daughter was reported missing.

“It took almost 3 hours to get an officer to show up to make a report,” she wrote on Facebook. “Even once they got to me and my family, they seemed to not take the matter seriously.”

The police department in its release said “there has been considerable interest from the community and extensive talk on social media in the missing persons case” and that its “investigators have been in constant contact” with Miyonna’s family.

“Since receiving this case last week, the Wilmington Police Department, New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office, and other partner agencies have dedicated considerable resources, working tirelessly to find answers in regards to her disappearance,” officers wrote.

Police in their news release didn’t describe the foul play believed to be involved in the case. The New Hanover County district attorney’s office, which reportedly planned to reveal more details about the disappearance in court, didn’t immediately share additional information with McClatchy News on Nov. 7.

Sellers didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

Miyonna is 5 feet tall and 110 pounds, with brown eyes and her hair in black braids. She was “last seen wearing a red turtle neck, light blue jeans and black shoes,” officials said.

An investigation continues, and police ask anyone with information to call them at 910-343-3609 or use the Tip411 smartphone application.

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