CHARLOTTE — Friends and family spend Saturday morning searching for a 22-year-old woman who has been missing for more than a week.
Ta-Haley Payton was last seen on the 700 block of Charlottetowne Avenue on November 20.
Her sister, Karlotta Payton, said Ta-Haley was originally from Greenville, South Carolina, but came to Charlotte to celebrate her birthday with her boyfriend.
However, the boyfriend returned back to Greenville without Ta-Haley. When questioned about her whereabouts, he admitted to leaving her
He then questioned why her family hadn’t been to Charlotte to pick her up, according to Karlotta.
“It’s very disheartening just to know she was out here by herself and she was supposed to be with someone who was supposed to protect her,” Karlotta expressed.
The family said the couple has had their ups and downs.
“Anyway, she contacts us, and anyway she contacts anybody, is through his phone. Her social media is on his phone. It’s all through him,” Karlotta explained.
On Saturday, Karlotta and a few of Ta-Haley’s friends decided to return to Charlotte to search the greenway near where she was last seen.
Karlotta said she was hoping to find a piece of clothing or anything that belonged to her sister.
“Her family and I have been knocking door to door to try and spread the word to the locals, and it’s extremely hard,” Karlotta said.
She said it’s been a tough couple of weeks for the family, especially Ta-Haley’s mother, who went through Thanksgiving without knowing where her daughter is.
“To be honest, she screamed for her child; she screamed her child’s name all day. She cried; she wanted her child. Thanksgiving—that’s all she did,” expressed.
A disturbing report
Kelanie Davis was one of the friends helping out on Saturday. She helped pass out flyers with Ta’Haley’s picture on them, and they retraced Ta’Haley’s footsteps to midtown, where she says Ta’Haley reportedly made a call to her mother.
Davis told Channel 9′s Tina Terry that she also went into an Arby’s restaurant where Ta’Haley was last seen. She says workers reported seeing her.
“Ta’Haley came in there at nighttime frantic her shirt was messed up covered in dirt and blood claiming she had just been jumped,” Davis said.
Davis says the workers told her that Ta’Haley reported being chased.
“It makes me extremely upset and terrified for my best friend; what happened?” Davis said.
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department is actively involved in the search for Ta-Haley Payton, but they have not confirmed that information.
Davis is hoping someone will help detectives find her friend quickly.
“Someone needs to know. Her family is worried. Her mama can’t stop crying. Her sister has lost a lot of sleep. Please just speak up,” Davis said.
Anyone with information about her whereabouts is asked to call 911 immediately.
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