Missing teen was out on a crime spree, Richland County sheriff says
A teenager who was missing for weeks was found late Sunday night, the Richland County Sheriff’s Department said.
Zmaiah Carter, 15, was discovered by deputies hiding inside a Columbia home that had been burglarized, the sheriff’s department said Monday in a news release.
Carter admitted to being a runaway and confessed to staying at the home for several days with another person who left before deputies arrived, according to the release. The Cherry Stone Drive home is about a mile from the intersection of Summit Parkway and Hard Scrabble Road.
“Cases like these are frustrating. An entire community was searching for this missing teen, and it turns out she was just out on a crime spree,” Sheriff Leon Lott said in the release.
The search for the missing teen ended when the homeowner called 911 to report a burglary, the sheriff’s department said.
After being away for several days, the homeowner returned and realized the house had been burglarized and there were still people inside, according to the news release.
Responding deputies said they observed forced entry to the home and found that a closet was unable to be opened. They called out for any possible suspects, and Carter emerged, telling the deputies that she was a runaway, according to the release.
The home was in disarray, and property was missing, according to the release. There was also significant damage to the homeowner’s vehicles, which were parked at the house.
In addition to finding Carter, deputies said they also discovered drugs inside the home.
Deputies took custody of Carter but are still looking for a person of interest in the case.
There was no word if the minor will face any charges.
Carter was publicly reported missing by the sheriff’s department on Jan. 28. She was last seen on Jan. 25 at her school, Spring Valley High, according to the sheriff’s department.
In April 2021, the sheriff’s department said Carter previously ran away with her boyfriend but returned within 24 hours, WIS reported.
There was no word why Carter recently ran away.
“Our investigators worked tirelessly on this case and Zmaiah’s parents have been terrified and heart-broken waiting on answers,” Lott said. “We are thankful that Zmaiah was found safe and hope that she makes better decisions in the future for her sake and her family.”
Anyone with information on the person of interest is asked to call CrimeStoppers at 888-CRIME-SC or submit an online tip.
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This story was originally published February 7, 2022 at 11:31 AM with the headline "Missing teen was out on a crime spree, Richland County sheriff says."
