A 22-year-old woman last seen walking near Daryl Avenue and Center Road in Novato late last week has triggered a statewide search effort, with the California Highway Patrol issuing an Ebony Alert covering ten Northern California counties. Reports differed on the date of Durant's last sighting: KRON4 placed it around 10 p.m. on September 17, while SFGATE reported that she was last seen on September 18. Authorities believe she is on foot, according to police. She is described as 5 feet 5 inches tall, weighing approximately 250 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes, and no clothing description has been released.
The alert, reported by KRON4, spans Alameda, Marin, Sonoma, Santa Clara, Monterey, San Francisco, Sacramento, Solano, Contra Costa, and San Mateo counties. Anyone who has seen Durant is asked to call 9-1-1.
Marin County Sheriff's Office Seeks Help
The Marin County Sheriff's Office is seeking help in the search for Durant.
The exact circumstances of Durant's disappearance remain unresolved as the search continues.
How California's Ebony Alert System Works
The Ebony Alert used in Durant's case was created under Senate Bill 673, authored by state Senator Steven Bradford and signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom in October 2023. When it took effect, California became the first state in the nation to establish a specialized emergency alert system dedicated specifically to missing Black youth and young Black women, as reported by The Guardian.
The system covers missing Black individuals aged 12 to 25. Once activated, the alerts spread via electronic overhead highway signs, local television and radio emergency broadcasts, and coordinated social media bulletins.
A Law Built to Close a Longstanding Gap
Federal missing-person reports and legislative analyses cited during Senate Bill 673's passage found that Black children account for 38% of children reported missing nationwide while representing roughly 14% of the U.S. population, according to Black and Missing. Missing Black youth have historically been disproportionately categorized as runaways rather than endangered persons, a pattern lawmakers cited in pushing for the alert system.
California law also bars any waiting period before police must accept and investigate a missing person report. Under Penal Code Section 14211, officers cannot impose a 24- or 48-hour delay before opening an investigation, ensuring immediate action once a report like Durant's is filed.
Durant's case joins a string of recent Bay Area Ebony Alert activations, including one issued in January 2025 for missing San Francisco teen Aniya Maxey. Anyone with information on Durant's whereabouts is urged to contact 9-1-1.
