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15-year-old missing from Riverview home reported safe with state agency

Posted at 5:04 PM, Jul 17, 2017
and last updated 2017-07-17 23:14:41-04

UPDATE | 8:45 p.m.--

A 15-year-old missing from her Riverview home was reported safe after being dropped off at the state agency.

A person known to the family dropped her off at the state agency. She was believed to have been with her biological mother in Tampa.

The Edwards family is thankful for all the coverage and people sharing her story on social media. They said this is a happy ending and they're grateful for this outcome. 

ORIGINAL STORY | The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office has been searching for a missing teenager since she took off from her home last week.

Makayla Edwards, 15, was last seen at her home in Riverview on Wednesday night before she left after she got into trouble with her parents over a boy. 

Edwards is 5'3", and weighs about 170 pounds and has black hair and brown eyes.

Her mother, Iretha Edwards said her daughter was supposed to try out for the high school volleyball team on Thursday morning, the day before she went missing. 

"Makayla if you see us, if you hear us, we miss you so much," said Edwards.

The family took to an area of Tampa to hand out missing fliers in case the teen made her way into the city.

"We've been praying so much for you, everyone's been looking for you," said Edwards.

The teenager lives with her adoptive parents since she was six years old.

The sheriff's office has assigned a detective and has put out a missing juvenile flier that the family has shared on social media. 

The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office said in a press conference on Monday about another missing teenager, Janessa Shannon, who was found dead, that they go through criteria to issue alerts. 

So far this year detectives have had 500 missing-runaway juvenile cases. 

The department will look into the child's past -- if he/she is a habitual runaway, if the child is in danger, has mental health issues or is suicidal or on medication. 

Iretha Edwards told ABC Action News that her family even lived across the street from Janessa Shannon in Riverview at one time. 

If you have any information on Edwards call the Sheriff's Office at 813-247-8200.