Arizona Girl, 16, Missing After She Never Returned Home from School

An Arizona teenager is missing after she did not come home following a school day.

On Friday, Jan. 30, the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) issued an urgent request for the public’s help in locating Laila Champagne Garcia, 16, of Mesa.

According to the agency, Garcia was reported missing on Tuesday, Jan. 27, after she never returned home from Red Mountain High School the day before. Authorities said she was last seen at the school on Jan. 26.

“Laila is a student at Red Mountain High School and was last seen at school on January 26th,” officials said.

Garcia is described as a Hispanic female who is just over 5 feet tall and weighs about 100 pounds. Police said she has black hair and brown eyes.

Investigators noted that what Garcia was wearing when she disappeared is not currently known, and they have not confirmed where she may have gone.

Red Mountain High School and Mesa Public Schools have not released public statements regarding the case.

Representatives for the MCSO and Mesa Public Schools did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Saturday, Jan. 31.

Garcia’s disappearance comes amid broader concerns about missing-person cases in Arizona. According to The Travel, Arizona has the second-highest number of missing people per capita, and a live tracker indicates roughly 1,099 people are currently listed as missing in the state.