Family: 18-Year-Old Missing After Possibly Being Lured from Philadelphia Home

Philadelphia authorities are on the lookout for 18-year-old Jahmez Cartwright, whose family suspects he may have been “lured away” by someone he was communicating with on the gaming platform Roblox.

According to the Philadelphia Police Department, Cartwright was last seen in Philadelphia on Monday, January 12, dressed in a black coat and blue jeans, as confirmed to Us Weekly via email.

He had left for school that morning and disappeared, as stated in a Facebook post by Simone Cartwright, who identifies Jahmez as her grandson.

Police noted that Jahmez’s “phone was tracked to San Diego, California, on Tuesday, January 13, 2026.”

His family has stated that Jahmez has an intellectual disability, which puts him at risk of being exploited, per WPVI-TV reports.

In a Facebook update on Wednesday, January 14, Simone mentioned, “Evidence suggests he may have been communicating online with an older man via the gaming platform Roblox.”

“A teenager without ID or an income does not simply vanish from Philadelphia and reappear digitally in California without assistance,” she added.

Friends of Jahmez, who have access to his iCloud location, discovered that his phone was in California, family members told WPVI-TV.

“How did he get there? He doesn’t have an ID,” said his mother, LaShante Crocker, in an interview with the station. “Did someone take him?”

According to the Philadelphia Police, Jahmez stands 5-foot-7, weighs 120 pounds, and has a “thin build.” He also has black curly hair and brown eyes.

A missing person alert shared by the Black & Missing Foundation indicated that Jahmez wears glasses and was last seen in white Rick Owen’s sneaker boots.

Natalie Wilson, co-founder of the non-profit organization, expressed that his disappearance is “very alarming” during a conversation with WPVI-TV.

“We are prioritizing this case because time is critical,” Wilson stated.

Jahmez is currently a student at Hardy Williams High School in southwest Philadelphia, as reported by NBC10 Philadelphia. The school is part of the Mastery Schools network.

In a statement to NBC10 Philadelphia, Mastery Schools acknowledged the current situation regarding 18-year-old Jahmez Cartwright.

“Following Mastery Schools policy, the student’s family was notified of his absence when he failed to arrive at school,” the statement clarified.

Jahmez’s cousin, Aisha Green, told NBC10 Philadelphia that Jahmez has never left Philadelphia.

“If someone has our cousin, holding him against his will, we won’t cease until we find him,” Green stated, as reported by the outlet. “We miss him. He belongs to us, not you.”

The Philadelphia Police Department is urging the public to assist in the search for Jahmez.

Anyone with information regarding Jahmez’s whereabouts is encouraged to contact Southwest Philadelphia detectives at (215) 686-3183.

In the United States, around 600,000 individuals are reported missing each year, according to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System, which focuses on cases involving missing and unidentified persons in the nation.

“While many of these individuals are eventually found safe, some remain long-term missing persons,” the center explains online.

If you are aware of a young person being exploited or victimized by a crime, please report it to your local FBI field office by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI. Tips can also be submitted at tips.fbi.gov