A South Carolina teenager who was reported missing for weeks has been found safe, and authorities say there is no evidence she was ever in danger or being held against her will.
In an update released January 6, the Lexington County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that 16-year-old Mackenzie Dalton had been located and was unharmed. Investigators said they have “no reason to believe Dalton was ever held against her will or with someone she didn’t want to be with.”
However, an 18-year-old man has now been arrested in connection with the case. Mackenzie Keith English Jr. was charged with obstruction of justice after authorities say he lied to investigators about being with Dalton and knowing where she was during the search.
Dalton was first reported missing in late November after she left her Lexington, South Carolina, home. Concern grew when the car she had been driving and a suitcase she took with her were later recovered, prompting officials to classify her as an endangered juvenile runaway.
At the time, deputies said they believed Dalton was traveling with a man she knew, though few details were released publicly. Her disappearance led police to ask for the public’s help as weeks passed without confirmed sightings.
Authorities have not released additional details about where Dalton was found or the nature of her relationship with English, but emphasized that the investigation revealed no signs of coercion or force.
The case, which initially sparked widespread concern, has now shifted toward accountability for those who may have interfered with the investigation.
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