KPLC 7 News, Lake Charles, LouisianaMissing Lake Charles Girl Found Safe

Missing Lake Charles Girl Found Safe

September 2, 2006
Reported By: Lee Peck

Updated: 9 p.m. Saturday

A 16-year-old Lake Charles girl, who was reported missing late Thursday evening has been found safe. Investigators with the Calcasieu Sheriff's Office say 16-year-old LaShonda Minor was found after a story that aired on 7 News at Six on Saturday. They say a call tipping them off to her whereabouts led to the teen's safe return. It's unclear at this time who she was with or why. We'll of course have more on this story as information becomes available. 

Lake Charles Teen Missing

"She's not the type of person to wander off. She's always been known to let someone know where she's going before she leaves," said LaShonda's aunt Jessica Denison.  

"She was outside sitting on the porch and talking on the phone," recalls LaShonda's mother Janet Minor.  

Janet says her daughter is a home body, who occasionally takes a walk down the street, but rarely leaves the yard. "She would just walk from corner to corner. That's where I thought she was, walking and talking on the phone. That's how she would do," said Janet.  

However, Thursday LaShonda did not return. It was around 10:30 p.m. that Janet grew concerned and went to call the police and discovered the phone was also missing. "The phone wasn't here and I pressed the little button to find the phone and it just kept beeping, beeping, and beeping," explained Janet. "And I couldn't find the phone no where."

"Something is just not right. She's gone and with the house phone. It's just a mystery," said Denison. 

"Just the fact that she has the phone with her is suspicious in and of itself," said Sergeant Gerald Thomas.  

Thomas is the lead investigator in the case. "Leads are coming in and we're following each and every one of them," said Thomas.  

Including an eyewitness account that places LaShonda at the corner of Evans and Shattuck Streets around 6:30 Thursday evening. It is just two blocks away from her home and the last time she was reportedly seen. "We've canvassed the area around here. We've spoken to the neighbors. We've gone to the high school, where she attends school," said Thomas. "We'll continue to search for this girl until we find her." 

In the meantime, LaShonda's family is pleading for her whereabouts. "Anybody that knows anything please, please -- we're begging and we're pleading for someone please just call and let us know where she is," said Denison.  

"We miss you and we want you to come on home. Whoever got my baby please bring her back home," said Janet.

LaShonda Minor was last seen wearing her school uniform: a shirt with large red and white stripes and navy pants, with beige furry slippers. If you know of her whereabouts please call the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's Office at 491-3700.

Investigators have also placed LaShonda's name and description in the National Missing Children's Database in hopes of finding her.