SPRING HILL, Fla. — UPDATE: Destinee Garcia has been found safe, her family confirms. Thank you to everyone who helped spread the word.
Previous story below:
Katrina Whitehead says, like a lot of teenagers, she’s had issues with her daughter. 16-year-old Destinee Garcia and her mom had an argument over the phone on April 1. She says that was the last time she spoke to her.
“She wanted to go to a girl’s sleepover so I allowed her to but usually I don’t,” said Whitehead. “When I don’t know parents and stuff but this is her best friend. I let her go. She called off work to hang out and I don’t play. So I told her you can’t sleepover. I said you can go but you have to be back by 11.”
Destinee didn’t show up that night. The next afternoon Katrina called the police. She confirmed with her daughter’s friends that she was texting them saying she couldn’t go home. Two days later, she stopped reaching out.
“It’s mother’s intuition I’m trying to stay positive but not good. Not good,” said her mother.
Police and child services are helping with the search. Katrina says her daughter has run away from home before.
This time, Katrina is worried because her daughter’s phone minutes have run out and she no longer has access to cash.
“I’m scared. There’s no telling where she could be at.”