Newburgh Heights missing 15-year-old girl still not found

NEWBURGH HEIGHTS, Ohio (WOIO) - The Newburgh Heights Police Department is continuing the search for a missing 15-year-old girl who may be with a 19-year-old man.

Police said Jasmine Wojtowicz who was last seen on Tuesday, Sept. 17. around 10 p.m. at her home in the 3900 block of East 54th Street.

Jasmine Wojtowicz was last seen wearing a black and orange pumpkin sweater, black jogging pants and Puma tennis shoes.

According to police, Wojtowicz was chatting online with a man named Jalen Lavante of Mt. Holly, North Carolina.

Lavante was described by police as 5′9″ tall with black hair and brown eyes.

According to police, Jalen picked Wojtowicz up in a 2006 Hyundai Elantra, gold in color, with North Carolina plate PLK4352.

This photo provided by Newburgh Heights Police is only a replica of the car, not the actual one involved:

Police said criminal charges of interference with custody have been filed against Lavante, and a warrant for his arrest has been issued.

They say they are worried about the teenager’s safety and want to ensure she returns home safely.

“This was planned, and now we’re on a mission to try and bring her home," said Police Chief John Majoy.

Majoy says this emphasizes the dangers that children can face online, and the role parents play in keeping their kids safe on the Internet.

“We want parents to get the word across to their children it may not be the person on the other end they’re depicting, so you really don’t know what you’re going to get," said Majoy. "You really want to watch the person at the other end that you’re talking to, watch their activities.”

If you have any information please contact the Newburgh Heights Police Department at (216) 641-5545.

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