TAMPA, Fla — The family of a 14-year-old Tampa girl hopes the public can help bring her home. They said the last five days have dragged on.
“They’re dreading, long, terrible, terrible,” said Nordis Del Toro, Leilani Marrero’s mom.
Del Toro said they dropped Marrero off at Leto High school Monday morning, but according to the Hillsborough County Sheriffs Office, she never made it inside.
“According to schoolmates, they said they saw her at a Spanish supermarket across from the school,” Del Toro said.
After that, she hasn’t been seen or heard from since. Del Toro said they found out she had a boyfriend recently but know nothing about him.
“Apparently he told Hillsborough County Sheriffs Office that he broke up with her a couple of days ago and he hasn’t seen her,” said Del Toro.
But, the family said they find it incredibly strange Marrero left her cell phone at home Monday morning and didn’t take any clothes or money with her. They said all she had was her school backpack.
“She is always on her phone, whether she’s looking at pictures or just reading things; she’s always on her phone and for her to leave her phone, that’s completely insane,” said Courtney Del Toro, Marrero’s sister.
They said Marrero is an honor student and while she has a hand full of friends; she’s pretty quiet and it’s not like her to not come home.
“She’s never done this before. Never,” her mom said.
The Sheriff's office believes she may have run away and the family thinks it's possible. Her family has posted fliers all around town with hopes that someone finds her and calls the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office. They just want her to get home safe.
“She means the world to us, she knows that, we’ve always showed her love so it just doesn’t make sense as to why she would’ve left. And we just want her to come home,” her sister said.
We know there are many open missing persons cases at any given time in the Bay Area. To learn more, and see if you can help, click here.
If you have any information about any missing teenagers in Hillsborough county, including Marrero, please call: 813-247-8200.
