The family of Jahmez Cartwright, an 18-year-old from Southwest Philadelphia, is urgently asking for the public’s help as the search intensifies following his disappearance on Monday, January 12, 2026. Jahmez left his home that morning intending to go to school but never arrived, and he has not been seen since. His loved ones say the situation is especially concerning because Jahmez has a cognitive disorder, giving him the mental capacity of a minor and making him particularly vulnerable.

Jahmez was last seen leaving the 6500 block of Linmore Avenue in Southwest Philadelphia. He was believed to be heading to catch a SEPTA trolley to Hardy Williams High School, where he is a student. When school officials confirmed he never arrived and he did not return home, his family immediately contacted authorities.

He is described as 5 feet 7 inches tall, weighing approximately 120 pounds, with black curly hair and brown eyes. At the time of his disappearance, Jahmez was wearing a black coat, dark blue jeans, and possibly black-and-white Rick Owens sneaker boots. There have been no confirmed sightings since the morning he went missing.

The case took a troubling turn when, on Tuesday, January 13, Jahmez’s cellphone was traced to San Diego, California, more than 2,500 miles from Philadelphia. This alarming development has raised serious questions about how he traveled such a distance and whether he is being influenced or held against his will.

Further concern comes from information shared by the Black and Missing Foundation, which suggests Jahmez may have been lured to the West Coast by an older man he met through the online gaming platform Roblox. Investigators are now examining his digital activity and communications. Philadelphia Police are working closely with San Diego authorities to follow leads and secure warrants related to online contacts.