Family asks for public’s help locating missing Philadelphia teen who didn’t show up for graduation

Angel Saunders
·2 min read
graduation cap and diploma
graduation cap and diploma

Family members are frantic after a Philadelphia teen has been missing since last week and did not show up to her high school graduation. Shalaya Porter, 18, was last seen on June 5 near 46th Street and Fairmount Avenue near her grandmother’s home.

In an article published yesterday (June 13), Philadelphia news station NBC 10 spoke with Porter’s family regarding her disappearance. According to relatives, the young student did not have her cellphone with her when she went missing as they later discovered it on her bed. Their concerns reached greater heights when she did not attend her high school graduation ceremony on Friday (June 9). Her loved ones claimed this is highly unlike the teen who previously had an impeccable attendance record.

“Shalaya would have never missed her graduation. Shalaya would have never missed the opportunity to go to college. Shalaya would have never left her mom,” Porter’s aunt, Felicia Hill, said while speaking with the Philadelphia outlet. Relatives shared that the 18-year-old had plans to start at Morgan State University in the fall with a focus on architecture, design, and fashion. Yesterday, community members gathered to raise awareness and attempt to find the missing pupil with a bright future. Supporters arrived at Motivation High School on 59th Street and Baltimore Avenue around 3 p.m. and distributed nearly 3,000 flyers.

Social media users joined the search as well. “She is known to use public transportation,” one account wrote as a tip to possibly locate the missing Philadelphia teen. Another person who shared her information added, “Dear Twitter, please do your thing.” “[I] hope they find her soon, safe and sound,” one individual replied. “I love you, baby. Just please come home. We had so many plans. I’m supposed to be going to college with you,” her mother Kaleia Porter said before reporters as she fought back tears at yesterday’s gathering.

Anyone with any information on her whereabouts is asked to contact the Southwest Detective Division at 215-686-3183.

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