Missing Sacramento-area teenager planned to meet friend before she disappeared
The family of a missing Sacramento-area teenager has obtained text messages showing she was planning to meet her boyfriend the night she disappeared.
Nykari Johnson, 16, has been missing since Dec. 28. Her family is gathering support from family and community organizations as they search for the young woman.
Her mother, Tiearrar Subia, this week shared the text messages during a news conference with the community group Voice of the Youth.
When Subia asked the young man about the messages, she was told that they never met up.
Sacramento Sheriff’s Department spokesman Sgt. Amar Gandhi said “all investigative leads have been exhausted” regarding the case.
“We cannot provide any further steps for the family,” said Gandhi. “If the community has more information they would like to bring forward, please submit them online at sacsheriff.com, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or they can call us at 916-874-5115.”
Berry Accius, founder of Voice of the Youth, joined Johnson’s family at the news conference Monday. He urged police and other organizations to escalate their search for Johnson.
“We all need to be held accountable for how we react in moments like this,” said Accius. “There should be no way that a young girl, a 16-year-old Black girl, after a month should (still) be missing and no one knows anything.”
What we know so far
After playing Twister and listening to music, according to Subia and family members, Johnson spent time with her cousins on the night of Dec. 27.
According to text messages shared with The Sacramento Bee, Johnson and the young man made plans to meet up shortly after midnight on Dec. 28.
She told him that she would leave her phone at home with her cousin.
The last message she sent before her disappearance was telling her boyfriend that she was “leaving now” at 12:13 a.m.
“Alright baby, be safe,” he replied.
Johnson’s cousin took the phone and communicated with the young man in subsequent messages. They cut off communication that night as Johnson’s cousin grew concerned about Johnson’s whereabouts. Her family has been searching for her ever since then.
This story was originally published January 25, 2023 at 10:35 AM.