Dallas Police are asking for the public's help in locating a 15-year-old girl missing since late last month.
The department sent out a critical missing person alert for Gabrielle McDonald-Willis Thursday morning, saying she was last seen on April 27 on foot on the 1800 block of Commerce Street and may be in need of assistance.
Willis is Black and has shoulder-length black hair and brown eyes. She stands 5 feet 5 inches tall and weighs about 130 pounds.
When she was last seen she was wearing a black T-shirt, black pants and black shoes.
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A family friend tells us her mother has worked tirelessly over the last two weeks trying to bring attention to her daughter’s case. According to the Black and Missing Foundation, the teen's family fears she may be a victim of sex trafficking and said she is in need of medication.
Betty Simons is owner and manager of Valor Investigations, a Houston-based advocacy organization that focuses heavily on missing and exploited children.
She says the time to act on a report of a missing child is as soon as you know something is out of the ordinary.
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"Immediately. The second you notice a child missing or you haven’t heard from them or seen the I always say immediately," Simons said.
Simons said one of the best places to find answers is social media. It’s often where they go first for clues.
"Social media is a monster," said Simons. "So, I can tell you that the first thing we’re checking is social media and any activity that is not normal for this child."
Regardless of the circumstances, Simons said the public should be alert for any child reported missing.
"When you see a missing flyer of a child, we urge you to share it," she said. "It could take one person even out of state who has seen that child or recognizes that child."
Persons with information are asked to call the police department at 911 or 214-671-4268. Please reference case number 074030-2022.
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