A 15-year-old girl has gone missing from Chicago's Bronzeville neighborhood, according to a new advisory posted by police Saturday. Tatianna Sharkey was last seen in the area of the 4300 block of South Martin Luther King Drive on September 12.
The Chicago Police Department describes Sharkey as a Black female, 15 years old, standing 6 feet tall and weighing 150 pounds, with hazel eyes, black hair, a medium brown complexion, and scars on both of her arms. She was last seen wearing all black clothing with silver-colored sandals. Area One detectives are asking anyone with information on her whereabouts to call 312-747-8380, or 911 in an emergency.
The latest advisory provides Sharkey's last-seen details and clothing. It does not establish whether she had previously returned home.
Area One Special Victims Unit Leads the Search
The investigation is being handled by CPD's Area One Detective Division, according to the Office of Justice Programs. Detectives continue seeking Sharkey's whereabouts. The case has been assigned number JK409713 by the Chicago Police Department.
The 4300 block of South King Drive is identified in a Movoto address listing, according to Movoto.
New State Law Bars Waiting Periods on Missing Person Reports
Illinois law now requires police to act immediately when a family reports someone missing. Under the Missing Persons Identification Act, also known as Senate Bill 24, which Governor JB Pritzker signed in August 2025 and took effect January 1, 2026, law enforcement agencies statewide are prohibited from imposing waiting periods before accepting a missing person report, according to the Cook County Sheriff's Office. The law was championed by Cook County Sheriff Thomas Dart to standardize how agencies across the state respond to these cases.
If a missing person in Illinois remains unlocated for 60 days, law enforcement must collect existing fingerprint records, dental records, photographs, and other biometrics for NamUs, per the Cook County Sheriff's Office. Illinois Senate Bill 24 requires law enforcement to search a missing person's fingerprint records against available local, state, and national repositories.
Illinois also maintains an Endangered Missing Person Advisory program under state law, administered by the Illinois State Police to rapidly share information across regional law enforcement, public broadcasters, and transportation networks when a missing individual is considered high-risk, according to the Illinois General Assembly. Local agencies initiate those advisories through the ISP's Springfield Communication Center. Separately, Illinois lawmakers have introduced legislation to create an Ebony Alert system modeled after a 2024 California statute, aimed at issuing specialized emergency alerts for missing Black youth and young women, according to the Illinois State Association of Counties. Advocates behind the proposal point to a history of delayed public attention for missing minority youth.
National Numbers Offer Some Context
Federal data from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention shows that 91 percent of missing children reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children in 2024 were recovered safely.
For now, Area One detectives are focused on Sharkey, and anyone with information is urged to contact them directly.
