UPDATE: The Florida Department of Law Enforcement reports that Naomi Cernik has been located and is safe.
The search for 16-year-old Naomi Cernik has entered a critical phase, with authorities releasing new information about where the missing Middleburg youngster may be headed. Naomi has been gone since Wednesday, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s gone Child Alert remains in effect while authorities widen their search area.
In a recent update, officials stated that Naomi could be drawn to train tracks or highly wooded regions. This specific detail has prompted search teams to concentrate on the rural area and railroad corridors near the 3200 block of Grand Teton Drive, where she was last seen.
Naomi is described as a white female standing 5 feet 2 inches tall and weighs 95 pounds, with blonde hair and brown eyes. Her outfit is a vital identifier: she was last seen wearing a black sweatshirt with a multi-colored design on the front and back, a white shirt, pants, and bright pink sneakers. She may also carry a black satchel backpack.
Deputies are urging neighbors near wooded properties or railroad property to remain vigilant and report any sightings as soon as possible. “If you have any information on this child’s whereabouts, please contact the Clay County Sheriff’s Office at 904-264-6512 or 911,” the agency said in an official statement.
ORIGINAL REPORT: Clay County authorities are requesting the public’s assistance in locating a 16-year-old girl who has gone missing from her neighborhood. Naomi Cernik was reported missing from Middleburg earlier this morning, prompting the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to issue a Missing Child Alert.
Naomi was last seen on the 3200 block of Grand Teton Drive. Investigators describe her as a white female at 5 feet 2 inches tall and weighing about 95 pounds.
She has blond hair and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing a striking black sweatshirt with a multi-colored design on both the front and back, along with a white shirt, blue pants, and pink sneakers. Officials believe she may also be carrying a black satchel-style backpack.
Local deputies have canvassed the area, but her current location is unknown.
The Clay County Sheriff’s Office is in charge of the investigation, and anyone who has seen a girl who matches Naomi’s description or knows where she is should contact authorities right once.
If you have any information, please call the Clay County Sheriff’s Office at 904-264-6512 or dial 911.