Ebony Alert: Missing Oakland 15-year-old girl

Ebony Alert: Missing 15-year-old girl in Oakland

Amarie Woods, 15, left a group home and was last seen near 16th and International in Oakland.

OAKLAND, Calif. - Authorities issued an Ebony Alert on Tuesday for a missing and at-risk 15-year-old girl out of Oakland.

Amarie Woods was last seen at 9:35 a.m. on Sept. 19 in the 4300 block of Tompkins Avenue and High Street in Oakland’s Redwood Heights neighborhood. She was wearing a silver sweater and multicolored shorts.

Girl left group home

What we know:

The location is near a group home from which Woods reportedly left on foot, KTVU has learned.

Possible sighting

Dig deeper:

At about 4 p.m. on Sept. 21, a witness reported seeing Woods near 16th Avenue and International Boulevard in Oakland’s San Antonio neighborhood, an area police say is known for sex trafficking.

"That area is known for that, but the main point today is that we bring Amarie Woods home," said Oakland police Officer Behzad Moeinimanesh.

Nora Brantley, an anti-trafficking advocate and sexual abuse survivor, said the area is dangerous, especially for someone as young as Woods.

"That is a very dangerous location to be in, as a woman, much less a young girl," Brantley said.

Brantley said even if the girl chose to leave the group home, other factors could be at play.

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"You can never assume it’s just of their own accord in the way that people think," Brantley said.

Brantley also directed a message to Woods.

"I could say I don’t even know you, but just knowing you’re a young person, 15 years old, I care about you, I love you," she said. "I’m sure there are others that do, and they’re worried about you."

Oakland City Councilmember Charlene Wang, whose district includes 16th Avenue and International Boulevard, called the case part of a larger crisis.

"Black children, what’s happening on International Boulevard, it is absolutely a moral crisis," Wang said. "We do have a crisis. We have a crisis that disproportionately impacts Black children. And this case is the very example of that."

What you can do:

If anyone sees her, they are asked to call OPD at 510-238-3641.

Henry Lee is a KTVU crime reporter. E-mail Henry at Henry.Lee@fox.com and follow him on Twitter @henrykleeKTVU and www.facebook.com/henrykleefan.