The last time anyone saw Keyona Unique Samuel was April 29, 2026. She was in James City County, Virginia. Then she vanished. Days have passed. No confirmed sightings. No calls from friends. No social media activity. Nothing.
Keyona is 15 years old. She is a Black female with black hair and brown eyes. She stands 160 centimeters tall, which is approximately 5 feet 3 inches. She weighs 63 kilograms, or about 138 pounds. Those numbers appear in law enforcement bulletins. But numbers do not capture who she is. Numbers do not tell you about her laugh or the way she says goodbye before walking out the door.
What might help identify her is a small red heart tattoo located under her right eye. The tattoo is distinctive. It is unusual for a 15 year old to have a visible facial tattoo. That detail has been highlighted in every alert. Investigators believe someone may recognize her from that marking alone.
Her case has been entered into the Virginia Missing Children’s Clearinghouse under case number VA26 1762. That number has been shared across national missing child networks. Advocacy groups have pushed the information through social media, email lists, and community bulletin boards. The goal is simple. Get her face in front of as many people as possible.
The James City County Police Department is leading the search. Detectives have interviewed family members, friends, and anyone who may have seen Keyona in the days leading up to her disappearance. They have not released any information about the circumstances surrounding her last known location. Whether she left willingly or was taken remains unclear.
Her family has not spoken publicly. They are likely frightened, exhausted, and desperate. A missing child notice is every parent’s worst fear made real.
Law enforcement has urged anyone with information, no matter how small it seems, to come forward. A driver who noticed a teenager walking alone. A store clerk who saw a girl matching Keyona’s description. A neighbor who heard something unusual on the night of April 29. Any detail could be the one that brings her home.
Two phone numbers have been released for tips. The James City County Police Department can be reached at 757 890 3621. The national hotline, 1 800 THE LOST, is also available. Callers do not need to give their names. They just need to share what they know.
Keyona Samuel has been missing since April 29. Her photo is circulating on missing child websites. Her name is being spoken in living rooms and newsrooms. But none of that matters if no one sees her. Someone out there knows where she is. That someone needs to pick up the phone.