Woodbury police are searching for 15-year-old Zaylynn Sanchez, who was reported missing by her guardian. She was last seen around 9 p.m. Saturday. This is the second public notice seeking her in less than three weeks; she was found safe just over two weeks earlier.
According to the Newport Dispatch, the Woodbury Police Department reported Sanchez missing after her guardian notified officers. Anyone with information about her whereabouts is asked to call Gloucester County Dispatch at 856-845-0064 or dial 911.
The latest disappearance comes less than three weeks after Sanchez was reported missing as a runaway on October 1 and was confirmed located safely, reuniting with her guardian on October 2, according to TomsRiver.org. That reunification followed an October 1 notice from the Woodbury City Police Department, which classified her disappearance as a runaway case after her guardian reported she had left home voluntarily, per West Deptford Patch.
A Pattern Stretching Back a Year
Saturday's report is not an isolated event. Woodbury police previously issued a public runaway alert for Sanchez on October 1, 2026.
That recurring pattern reflects how New Jersey law treats missing-juvenile reports, regardless of how many times a child has previously run away. Under the state's Patricia's Law, municipal police departments are legally required to accept, log, and immediately investigate every report of a missing minor, the policy notes.
Why Police Keep Issuing Public Alerts
That statutory mandate helps explain why local police continue to publish public notices for a teen who has run away before, even while keeping details about her family situation or any support services private. New Jersey guidelines also classify missing juveniles between ages 13 and 20 as high-risk missing persons whenever an added risk factor is present.
Separately, state law under N.J.S.A. 2C:12-1.3 requires guardians to report missing children age 13 or younger to police within 24 hours.
Runaways Make Up Most Missing-Child Cases Nationally
Sanchez's case fits a broader national pattern. The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children reports that more than 90% of missing child reports it assists with involve runaway youth, with teenagers aged 15 to 17 making up the majority of endangered runaway cases nationwide. The organization also reports a 90% overall recovery rate.
Woodbury, in Gloucester County, is a South Jersey city. Recent searches in the region have included a missing Malaga teen and a search for a missing 17-year-old in Camden County.
It remains unclear whether any Gloucester County social service or youth-support agencies are involved in addressing the underlying causes behind Sanchez's repeated disappearances, as law enforcement notices have focused solely on locating her. For now, police are continuing to ask anyone with information about her current whereabouts to come forward.
