SUMTER COUNTY, S.C. — The Sumter County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help in locating a missing teenager.

Deputies say 15-year-old Essence Melcenia Malear Morice was last seen around 6 p.m. on Friday, September 26, 2025, after leaving home to spend the weekend with a friend. On Monday, her parents discovered she had not gone to school or to the friend’s home.

Morice is described as 4 feet 8 inches tall, 115 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. Investigators say she has previously run away from home and may be staying with a family in Camden.

Anyone with information is urged to call the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office at 803-436-2000 during business hours or submit an anonymous tip through CrimeStoppers at 1-888-CRIME-SC.

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