The search for 16-year-old Cherish Williams has come to a reassuring end as the Oakland Police Department announced that the Oakland teen has been safely located. After the alarm was raised over her disappearance, the community and media played an integral role in her being found. In a social media post from the Oakland Police Department, the brief yet welcome announcement was made, stating, "Cherish Williams is no longer a #MissingPerson. She has been safely located."
SAFELY LOCATED!!
— Oakland Police Dept. (@oaklandpoliceca) March 12, 2025
Thanks to our community and media partners, Cherish Williams is no longer a #MissingPerson
She has been safely located. pic.twitter.com/BZvappkJbo
Before this positive outcome, the scenario was tense, with the California Highway Patrol issuing an Ebony Alert for Williams, who had last been seen over a week ago near 98th Avenue and Lyndhurst Street in Oakland. Her description had been widely circulated: a Black female, approximately 5 feet 3 inches tall, weighing 165 pounds, sporting burgundy hair and brown eyes. When last seen, she wore distinctive clothing: a black jacket, a black t-shirt, gray sweatpants, and black and gray shoes. The CHP had been focused on finding Williams within the regions of Alameda, Contra Costa, and San Francisco counties, given she was believed to be traveling on foot, as per an article by Hoodline.
Authorities encouraged everyone in the affected counties to remain vigilant, and they stressed the importance of calling 9-1-1 with any potential information.
