Philadelphia police are asking for the public's help finding a missing 15-year-old girl, Aziyah Whitfield, who was last seen Monday at 5 p.m. in the 5400 block of North 12th Street in the city's Logan neighborhood. Police describe her as 5 feet 5 inches tall and 160 pounds. Anyone with information is asked to call 911 or contact Northwest Detectives at 215-686-3353.
The disappearance, first reported by Newport Dispatch, marks the second time this summer that Whitfield has gone missing from the city. The 5400 block of North 12th Street falls within the patrol jurisdiction of the Philadelphia Police Department's 35th District, headquartered at Broad Street and Champlost Avenue, though primary investigative responsibility for the case belongs to the department's Northwest Detective Division.
A Pattern That Echoes June's Search
Whitfield was also reported missing six weeks earlier, when police said she was last seen June 22 in the 9th District near 13th and Fairmount streets. At the time, investigators noted she was known to frequent the areas around 22nd Street and Cecil B. Moore Avenue, as well as Broad Street and Cecil B. Moore Avenue, according to the Philadelphia Police Department.
The two police bulletins list slightly different physical descriptions for Whitfield: the June notice described her as 5 feet 6 inches tall and 180 pounds, while this week's report lists her at 5 feet 5 inches tall and 160 pounds. Police have not explained the discrepancy, and it remains unclear whether Whitfield was located safely after the June report or what circumstances led to her being reported missing again this week.
How Detectives Handle Cases Like Whitfield's
Under Philadelphia Police Department Directive 12.13, detective division supervisors must ensure investigators re-interview the person who reported a disappearance within 72 hours and maintain weekly contact with that person for at least a month. The directive reserves the department's most urgent search protocol, known as a
