A report describes a search for 16-year-old Jessie, who was last seen near Britts Lane.
A Zillow listing for a single-family property on Linda Knoll Lane says it was built in 2025.
Bartow Police Department dispatchers can be reached at 863-534-5034.
A City Growing Fast
The search unfolds in a city that has changed rapidly in recent years. Bartow, the Polk County seat, reached an estimated population of 24,246 residents in 2026, a jump of more than 23 percent since the 2020 Census counted 19,689 people, per World Population Review. The city’s growth has been fueled in part by new housing developments along the U.S. 98 corridor.
Polk County itself has swelled to an estimated 898,146 residents in 2026, making it Florida's eighth most populous county, World Population Review's data shows.
Florida's Missing-Person Classification
Under Florida Statute § 937.0201, people under 18 are automatically classified as missing children and missing endangered persons, according to Online Sunshine, the state's legislative statutes portal.
Florida has a Silver Alert system.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement also runs the Missing Endangered Persons Information Clearinghouse, a 24-hour statewide hotline established in 1983 that supports local agencies with analytical help during searches, according to the Florida Missing Children's Day Foundation.
A Missing Teen Last Seen Near Britts Lane
The Bartow Police Department operates K-9 units within its Uniform Patrol Division that are trained to assist with missing person searches across the city's six patrol beats, according to the City of Bartow.
A separate report about missing teen Jessie says Jessie was last seen near Britts Lane.
Bartow Police Department dispatchers can be reached at 863-534-5034.
