Search continues for missing Benton County teen

UPDATE (3/23/23): Missing Benton County teen found safe, TBI confirms

BENTON COUNTY, Tenn. — Monday, March 13, the Benton County Sheriff’s Office received a call that 14-year-old Aaliyah Ann Whitehead had run away from home.

As of Friday, March 17, the search for Whitehead continued.

According to her mother, Alicia Laster, she is like any other teenager. However, she says Whitehead started to go down a bad path.

Laster claims she was trying to get help for her, but instead she ran away.

Laster says additional law enforcement agencies have joined in on the search for Whitehead.

“Now we have the [Tennessee Bureau of Investigation] and the FBI, along with our county involved looking and doing anything they can,” Laster said.

Laster believes that, maybe, her friends might know where she is and is pleading for them to say something. She also thinks that she could have had help in running away.

“Please, there are anonymous ways to leave tips. I understand if you do not want to be known. Just call the tip line and leave the anonymous tip,” Laster said. “I feel like she may have help by now. I mean, she is not event 15. She can’t drive.”

Whitehead is 5-feet, 1-inches, and weighs 140 pounds. She has red hair and green eyes. She was last seen wearing a tie-dye hoodie, black leggings, and pink and black sneakers.

“Come home, we love you. Your brothers miss you, your dad misses you, I miss you. Just come home,” Laster said.

If have seen Whitehead, or know where she is, contact the Benton County Sheriff’s Office at (731) 584-4632 or the TBI at 1-800-TBI-FIND.

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