UPDATE — 1/20/26 at 10:55 a.m. ET: The household of Jahmez Cartwright mentioned on Friday, January 16 that the 18-year-old had been positioned, based on a press release shared by his relations and offered to Us Weekly by the Philadelphia Police Division.
“I wish to thank the Philadelphia media, regulation enforcement companies, the Black and Lacking Basis, and members of the neighborhood, as they rallied round me and my household as we looked for Jahmez,” his household mentioned.
“As our household continues to work with regulation enforcement surrounding the main points of his disappearance, we are going to share any data as we study extra particulars,” Cartwright’s household added.
Cartwright was positioned in California, the Black and Lacking Basis informed NBC10 Philadelphia.
The unique story continues beneath.
Philadelphia police are looking for 18-year-old Jahmez Cartwright, whose household believes was probably “lured away” by somebody he was messaging with over the web gaming platform Roblox.
Cartwright was final seen in Philadelphia on Monday, January 12, sporting a black coat and blue denims, the Philadelphia Police Division confirmed to Us Weekly by way of e-mail.
He had left for varsity that morning and vanished, based on a Fb submit by Simone Cartwright, who says Jahmez is her grandson.
Police mentioned that Jahmez’s “telephone was pinged in San Diego, California on Tuesday, January 13, 2026.”
Jahmez, based on his household, has an mental incapacity which makes him susceptible to being doubtlessly manipulated, WPVI-TV reported.
Simone wrote on Fb on Wednesday, January 14 that “Proof suggests he could have been speaking on-line with an older man via the gaming platform Roblox.”
“An adolescent with out ID or an earnings doesn’t merely vanish from Philadelphia and reappear digitally in California with out assist,” she added.
His household informed WPVI-TV that Jahmez’s pals, who’ve entry to his iCloud location, found his telephone was in California.
“How did he get there? He don’t have ID,” his mom, LaShante Crocker, mentioned whereas talking with the outlet. “Did somebody take him?”
Jahmez is 5-foot-7, weighs 120 kilos and is described as having a “skinny construct,” based on Philadelphia police. He additionally has black curly hair and brown eyes.
In a lacking individual alert the Black & Lacking Basis shared for Jahmez, the group famous that the 18-year-old wears glasses and was additionally identified to be sporting white Rick Owen’s sneaker boots when he disappeared.
Natalie Wilson, the co-founder of the non-profit group, mentioned his disappearance is “very alarming,” whereas talking with WPVI-TV.
“We’re leaping on this case straight away as a result of time is of the essence,” Wilson mentioned.
Jahmez is a pupil at Hardy Williams Excessive Faculty in southwest Philadelphia, based on NBC10 Philadelphia. The varsity is part of Mastery Colleges.
In a press release to NBC10 Philadelphia, Mastery Colleges mentioned: “We’re conscious of the present state of affairs involving 18-year-old Hardy Williams Excessive Faculty pupil, Jahmez Cartwright.”
“Following Mastery Colleges coverage, the scholar’s household obtained an absence notification when he didn’t arrive to high school,” the assertion added.
A 15-year-old Washington woman has been lacking for greater than a month after she was final seen getting right into a automobile belonging to a 45-year-old man, based on police and information reviews. Surveillance footage from a bowling alley in Port Orchard the morning of December 10 captured the final sighting of Ashlynn Hanley, NBC Information […]
Jahmez’s cousin Aisha Inexperienced informed NBC10 Philadelphia that Jahmez has by no means left the town of Philadelphia.
“If there’s somebody who has our cousin, holding him with out will, we received’t cease,” Inexperienced mentioned, the outlet reported. “You recognize, we miss him. He belongs to us, not you.”
The Philadelphia Police Division is looking on the general public’s assist in the seek for Jahmez.
The company is asking that anybody with data on Jahmez’s location contact Southwest Philadelphia detectives at (215) 686-3183.
Within the U.S., about 600,000 persons are reported lacking every year, based on the Nationwide Lacking and Unidentified Individuals System, a useful resource heart centered on addressing lacking and unidentified individuals circumstances within the nation.
“Whereas many of those people are discovered alive and nicely, some change into long-term lacking individuals,” the middle says on-line.
If you already know of a youngster who’s being exploited or is the sufferer of a criminal offense, you’re urged to report it to your native FBI area workplace by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI. Suggestions will also be left at ideas.fbi.gov
