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On Friday, March 24, 15-year-old Rhea County teen Maddie Neal was reported missing.
According to Times Free Press, Maddie was last seen by her mother at 6 am. Authorities have announced that they have few leads in the case and are offering a $1,000 reward for any information. Her family is also offering a $2,000 reward.
According to the Rhea County Sheriff's Office, a white Ford Cab with heavily tinted windows was seen near Maddie Neal's home around the time she disappeared. While authorities are investigating this lead, they have not confirmed whether or not foul play was involved in the teen's disappearance.
Maddie Neal was described as 5'5 and 120 pounds. The case currently remains under investigation by the Rhea County Sheriff's Office.
Authorities investigate the disappearance of Maddie Neal
As per News Channel 9, a student in the Rhea County High School track team told authorities that Maddie Neal was considering running away with a boy from Chattanooga, Tennessee. While officials said they would investigate the lead, they could not confirm whether the driver of the car was involved in the case.
Local 3 News reported that community members are currently searching for Maddie Neal. They are seeking anyone in the area with outdoor surveillance cameras, in case it can help them track the teen's movements. They believe the 15-year-old left home between 6 and 8 am.
Chief Deputy John Argo said that while Maddie Neal does not have a cellphone, she may have obtained one. He urged anyone contacted by her to step forward and notify the police about her potential location.
Missing persons cases in Tennessee
According to WBIR, in 2023, The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System reported that there are 689 people missing in the state of Tennessee. Authorities stated that people went missing for a variety of reasons, including mental illness, drug abuse, and dissatisfaction with their domestic situations.
Todd Matthews, the director of the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System, said that authorities need to release more information to deal with missing cases. He said that police officials have access to a lot of data about missing people that is not publicly available, adding that by releasing this data, members of various communities may be able to identify the individual in question.
He said:
"We have to make sure that family members and friends of the missing person can do a quality check. They can look at the height, the weight, the pictures — the families can actually see the profile and make sure it's an accurate description of that person."
Tennessee authorities stated that they welcome anonymous tips in missing cases. They also said that the identities of those willing to provide information regarding the whereabouts of Neal, or any other missing person, will be kept confidential.
