Police and loved ones are searching for a 13-year-old Southern California girl, Scarlett Patricia Acuna, who has been missing for days.

Published on: Aug 30, 2026, 13:58:58 IST

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Police and loved ones are searching for a 13-year-old Southern California girl who has been missing for days. Scarlett Patricia Acuna was reported missing on August 23, the Los Angeles Police Department said.

Acuna is considered critically missing. She was last seen on the 10000 block of Lou Dillon Avenue in South Los Angeles around 3:23 pm.

Who is Scarlett Patricia Acuna?

Acuna is 5 feet tall and weighs about 100 pounds. She has brown eyes and black hair. She was last seen wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, black shorts, and brown shoes.

It is unclear where Acuna may have been heading at the time. Her family has not mentioned any physical or mental health conditions that could contribute to her disappearance.

Who is a ‘critically missing’ person?

According to missingkids.org, “A critically missing young adult is one who is at an elevated risk of danger if not located as soon as possible due to the circumstances surrounding their disappearance.”

Milwaukee police officer Keyona Vines previously said that a lot of scenarios fall under the term "critically missing,” per Fox6now.

"We try to look for them before we put them on the media," Vines said. "It could be if a person is suicidal, it can be a military vet who may have PTSD."

Vines explained that it could be a kidnapping, someone who has a medical condition with life-saving medication or someone with cognitive disabilities. Following that, the Department of Justice determines if an Amber Alert or Silver Alert should be issued for that critically missing person.

"That’s the key word – they have to be in danger for an Amber Alert to be issued," Vines said.

Anyone with information regarding Acuna’s whereabouts has been urged to call the Los Angeles Police Department’s Southeast Community Police Station at 213-972-7942. Calls during non-business hours or weekends should be made to 877-527-3247. Tipsters who wish to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477 or visit lacrimestoppers.org.

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