By Dylan Marsh
EAGLE TIMES STAFF
CLAREMONT- Parents of a 14-year-old girl in Claremont, have reported her missing.
According to the Claremont Police Department, Mya Leggett was reported missing on Tuesday evening by her parents. A number of missing persons posters have also been placed around the community in an effort to locate the young girl.
Leggett is approximately 5’2” tall and weighs about 120 lbs. She has brown/red hair and hazel eyes. She was last seen wearing an off-white t-shirt, a zip-up hoodie, black sweatpants, and high-top shoes.
Police have been given leads as to places she may be by her parents, but so far have been unsuccessful in locating her. Chief Brent Wilmot with the Claremont Police Department has stated that officers have been in consistent contact with her parents and have also been able to employ a number of tactics in their efforts to find Leggett.
“We are using whatever sort of tools that we have technologically available to us. Whether that be pinging cell phones and other programs,” Wilmot said of the search efforts.
Claremont police have also been in close contact with the school, checking records and speaking with school district officials in an effort to paint a better picture of where she may be.
According to Wilmot, the Claremont Police Department can receive a call-in regard to a juvenile runaway up to once a day. These cases often reach a quick conclusion and don’t feature the same longevity as the one Claremont is currently seeing.
“Usually that’s just a child that didn’t come home from school that day and the parents will tell us where they usually hang out and we will go there and give them a ride home,” said Wilmot of the typical situation they see with runaways.
Wilmot warns though that, should someone be complicit in hindering the police from locating Leggett, that they could be potentially charged with a misdemeanor offense. While aiding and abetting a runaway juvenile is a criminal offense in and of itself, it could result in further charges being placed and result in potential jail time.
The police have also received several tips from people in the community who claim to have seen or know where Leggett may be, and they have been following through with each of them.
“I firmly believe that this will come to a happy resolution, people are going to talk, and one thing will lead to the next, and she will be found,” Wilmot said of the importance of community working together.
However, once she is located, the job of local law enforcement doesn’t stop there, and they will be looking into the situation surrounding the missing child.
“As part of our due diligence we look into reasons why children may be running away.
“Is there something in the home that’s causing that or a Child in Need of Services (CHINS) situation where we need to get the court involved? We try to figure out some of the bigger questions as opposed to just where they are,” Wilmot said.
Anyone who may have information regarding the whereabouts of Mya Leggett are encouraged to contact Claremont Police Sergeant Joshua Peavey at (603) 504-0234 or the anonymous tip line (603) 542-7026 ext. 1234.
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