Philadelphia police are asking the public for help finding 16-year-old Djiba Traore, who was last seen in Southwest Philadelphia on the 6200 block of Dickens Avenue. The case is being handled through the Philadelphia Police Department’s 12th District, and investigators say any information from the community could help bring him home.
According to the Philadelphia Police Department, Traore was last seen around 10:00 a.m. on Friday, July 24, 2026, in the 6200 block of Dickens Avenue. The department’s notice states plainly, “The Philadelphia Police Department is asking for the public’s assistance in locating a missing juvenile last seen in Southwest Philadelphia.”
Conflicting Descriptions Surface
Philadelphia police describe Traore as a Black male standing 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighing approximately 115 pounds, wearing a white T-shirt, black pants, and black, white and red sneakers at the time he was last seen. However, Newport Dispatch describes him differently, reporting he is 5 feet 5 inches tall, weighs approximately 110 pounds, and was last seen wearing a black jacket, blue T-shirt, blue jeans and black sneakers. The two accounts do not match, and nothing in the available record explains the discrepancy.
The outlet's report, authored by Daniel Duric, also frames Traore's disappearance as having occurred from his residence, a detail tied to the Philadelphia Police Department in that account. Police did not use that same framing in their own public notice, which instead focuses on the Dickens Avenue location and the July 24 timestamp.
How To Report Information
Philadelphia police are directing anyone with information about Traore's whereabouts to contact the Southwest Detective Division at 215-686-3183 or to call 911. The department's notice states, “Anyone with information regarding Djiba Traore’s whereabouts is urged to contact the Southwest Detective Division at 215-686-3183 or call 911.”
Newport Dispatch's report lists a second number for the same detective division, 215-686-3184, in addition to 215-686-3183. It is not clear from the available information which number is currently in service for tips on this case, so residents with information may want to try the department's published line first or dial 911 directly.
No photograph, home address, or details about the circumstances surrounding Traore's disappearance have been released. Southwest Philadelphia residents and anyone who may have seen him near Dickens Avenue are encouraged to reach out to investigators as the search continues.
