16-Year-Old California Girl Believed to Have Run Off With Wrestling Coach

A 16-year-old California girl is believed to have run off with a high school wrestling coach that she was having a romantic relationship with.

The teenager, who has not been identified, was “in a romantic relationship with a wrestling coach at Franklin High School in Stockton,” according to the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office.

Officials said the girl and the coach, 25-year-old Phillip Maglaya, are believed to be traveling together in a 1994 green Toyota extra cab truck with license plate number 8G91493.

Anyone with information is encouraged to dial the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office at [phone] or the Investigations Unit at [phone].

Additionally, people can text information to “Crimes” at 274637 and type the first keyword SJSO followed by a space then the tip. Users are anonymous.

The same style of truck Phillip Maglaya and the 16-year-old are believed to be traveling in.(San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office)

Volunteer Coach

A spokesperson for the Stockton Unified School District said that Maglaya served as a volunteer wrestling coach last year at Franklin High School.

He passed initial background checks and other vetting before joining the staff, Dianne Barth, the spokeswoman, told the Columbus Dispatch.

She confirmed that the missing student attends Franklin High School.

Maglaya is now barred from entering any campus in the district.

“Safety is SUSD’s most important priority,” Barth said. “The district will continue to work with the student’s family and law enforcement until the student is found.”

Friends Didn’t Know

Friends of the unnamed teen who is missing said she was indeed part of the wrestling team that Maglaya coached.

However, they weren’t aware of a romantic relationship.

“She mentioned someone, but not that it was a wrestling coach or anything, just someone that she might like,” Franklin High junior Brisa Madrigal told CBS.

“She never told us who he was, or where he’s from, or anything.”

Missing Persons

According to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System, approximately 600,000 people go missing in the United States each year.

“Fortunately, many missing children and adults are quickly found, alive and well,” the agency stated.

“However, tens of thousands of individuals remain missing for more than one year—what many agencies consider ‘cold cases.’”

There is currently 14,715 open missing persons cases and 12,180 open unidentified persons cases.

From NTD.tv