CHESAPEAKE, Va. — A Chesapeake family is pleading for answers about where their daughter, 16-year old Destiny Ayala Patterson, is.
Patterson has been missing since March 28th.
Her family held a press conference to spread awareness for their search and express frustration with Chesapeake police.
"While Destiny is my daughter, Destiny could be anyone's daughter right now," Joseph Patterson said. "She is a child; we did the same thing every parent does in Hampton Roads and send their child to school."
One of the last locations Patterson was seen at was leaving Indian River High School on March 28th.
Surveillance video at the school captured Patterson exiting the school through a side-entrance, getting into a car with a man her family did not recognize, and leaving school grounds.
Her family says their daughter was last seen in Northern Suffolk.
"We have a problem with Virginia, we have a problem all over America, that when our young minority females go missing - there is not a sense of urgency," Brandon Randleman said, a community activist.
The Patterson family also said they are frustrated by the response by Chesapeake Police Department, specifically in how Destiny is considered a 'runaway' despite disappearing for 20 days.
However, according to spokesperson Leo Kosinski with Chesapeake police, Destiny does not qualify as a 'missing person.' He released part of the following statement:
"She was reported to us as a runaway. A runaway is listed as a juvenile who leaves of their own free will, where as a missing person is defined as someone who leaves under duress. We have not seen any evidence that she left under any duress. This is still an ongoing investigation, and no one has been cleared at this time.
She does not meet the criteria for an Amber Alert with Virginia State Police."
Patterson's family said they also have concerns with the accuracy of the search for Destiny. They accuse police of allegedly incorrectly reporting the time of Destiny's disappearance and not keeping the family updated with new information.
Kosinksi said investigating officers quickly rectified the time of disappearance and are actively searching for Destiny.
Destiny's mother, Christina Patterson, offered a heartfelt plea directly to her daughter to come home.
"I want you to know that you can always come home and that you will always be our girl, and until you come home we will keep going on," Patterson said.
13News Now also reached out to Chesapeake Public Schools and received the following statement:
Chesapeake Public Schools continues to assist the police department with this ongoing investigation. We hope for Destiny to be returned home quickly and safely.
Chesapeake police say Destiny was last seen wearing a green and tan blouse and blue jeans. She is a Hispanic female, 5 feet, 7 inches tall and has brown hair and brown eyes.
Anyone with information about her whereabouts is asked to call the Chesapeake Police Department at (757) 382-6161 or the Crime Line at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP.