UPDATE:
Destiny Ayala-Patterson, a missing 16-year-old, was located in Trenton, New Jersey, according to police. The Chesapeake Police Department says they worked with the U.S. Marshal's Service to safely locate Patterson on Monday, May 8.
News 3 spoke exclusively with Destiny's father, who said, "We're just so thankful that she's okay, that she was found, and they confirmed that she wasn't injured."
Full story here
ORIGINAL ARTICLE:
CHESAPEAKE, Va. — It’s been almost three weeks since a 16-year-old runaway, Destiny Ayala-Patterson, was last seen, according to the Chesapeake Police Department. On Monday, April 17, her family held a press conference to bring awareness to her disappearance.
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Destiny was last seen on Tuesday, March 28 leaving Indian River High School around 1 p.m., according to CPD. Detectives say she was seen leaving the school and entering a sedan.
“It’s not a car we recognize,” Destiny’s father Joe Patterson told us last Tuesday. “We have no idea who this person is.”
Police say they found the sedan and questioned the driver, although it is currently unclear what the relationship is between the driver and Destiny.
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Destiny remains missing, and Patterson told us the family is concerned for her safety.
“I think we’re just all very confused and not understanding what’s caused this to happen,” said Patterson. “She’s a good kid. She’s a kid that’s full of love. She has a younger sibling that she loves on all the time.”
