14-year-old Alicia Navarro lived in Glendale, Arizona with her mother, stepfather, and two younger siblings. Alicia had high-functioning autism for which she took daily medication. She struggled with social interaction and often became overwhelmed. Alicia had trouble feeding herself or taking public transportation. She liked to wear the same long-sleeved sweatshirt and only ate familiar foods like Mcdonald's. Alicia had just begun high school when she left her home in the middle of the night.
A few months before Alicia went missing, she became immersed in online gaming and a platform called Discord where strangers can chat with one another. Alicia particularly enjoyed playing Minecraft and she was incredibly tech-savvy; she had a laptop and a cell phone. Around this time, Alicia, who was used to a routine, began to show changes in her behavior. She suddenly became interested in makeup, provocative clothing, and protein powder.
On September 15, 2019, at 1 am, Alicia came downstairs and ran into her mother, Jessica, who was waiting up for her husband to come home from work. Alicia got a glass of water and asked her mom when she planning to go to bed. She told her mom she loved her and went back to her bedroom.
At 7 am, Jessica woke up and started cooking breakfast for Alicia's siblings, who were awake. She assumed that Alicia was still in bed when she noticed that the door to the backyard was open. Jessica went outside and saw two lawn chairs pushed up against a brick wall. Panic set in as she ran to Alicia's bedroom, and found it empty. A note sitting on her dresser read, "I runaway. I will be back, I swear. I'm sorry-Alicia." Jessica and her husband immediately reported their daughter missing.
Alicia took a backpack, her computer, her cellphone, body spray, some makeup, and a comic book, however, she did not take any of the chargers to her electronics, indicating that Alicia was planning to return home as written in her note. Unfortunately, Alicia did not return and an investigation determined that she may have been groomed by someone she met on an online gaming platform.
A few months prior to Alicia running away, she told friends that she had a boyfriend and that she might run away to California. This was around the time her behavior and interests began to change.
Several witnesses reported seeing Alicia in La Pradera Park on September 20 which was her 15th birthday. Alicia was reportedly seen with an unknown African-American male with facial and neck tattoos. Witnesses claimed that he was dragging Alicia around by her hand. According to her parents, Alicia was very excited about her birthday and had asked for a steak and a red velvet cake. The fact that she did not return home for her birthday convinced them that she had been trafficked.
“We just need to find her. And I need to know that she is safe. My girl is out there alone, without me...it’s horrible. I just need her back home...I just feel like she’s in danger. She would have never been gone this long - not without getting in touch with me. Someone has her and I’m so worried...It could be the difference in life or death for your child. Please monitor everything they do. I don’t want anyone to go through the same nightmare I’m going through.”- Jessica Nuñez
Alicia turned 18 on September 20, 2022, however, she has not resurfaced. She was last seen wearing a white sweatshirt, a white denim skirt, and black and white Vans sneakers. Alicia had braces at the time of her disappearance and she was 4'5" and 95 lbs with brown hair and brown eyes.
If you have any information, contact Glendale PD at 623-930-3000.
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