Search continues for 16-year-old Bayleigh Reese, family and law enforcement asking for help

Bayleigh’s grandparents, David and Debbie Wishard, said they are deeply worried for her safety. They say they last saw her on Jan. 16 leaving their home in Calallen.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The Nueces County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help in locating 16-year-old Bayleigh Reese, who has been missing for 14 days and is believed to be in the Corpus Christi area.

On Friday morning, Reese’s family joined South Texas Search and Rescue to distribute flyers and supplies to volunteers. Staff with the organization said they handle many missing persons cases but have never seen a turnout as large as this one.

Bayleigh’s grandparents and guardians, David and Debbie Wishard, said they are deeply worried for her safety. They say they last saw her on Jan. 16 leaving their home in Calallen.

“Bailey is vibrant, outgoing, usually well behaved. But we don’t let her out of our sight because of what had happened to her in the past,” David Wishard said.

The Wishards said Bayleigh experienced a difficult upbringing and has struggled with multiple mental illnesses. They also said she was once the victim of a kidnapping.

“Bailey has been diagnosed with PTSD from when she was kidnapped. She’s also bipolar. She’s autistic. She has severe depression, severe anxiety. She has ADHD and a situation called DMDD, which is disruptive mood dysregulation disorder,” Wishard said.

They said she takes several medications daily and has not had access to them since she disappeared.

“She takes five different medications a day, twice a day,” Wishard said.

Dozens of volunteers participated in Friday’s search. The Nueces County Sheriff’s Office also sent cadets to help canvass different areas and hand out flyers.

“A good experience for them to go out there, but most importantly, it’s going to be good for the family because we’re helping the community. We’re trying to get this missing person found,” Lt. Joe Gonzalez said.

Sergeant Danny Galvez said missing children who have a history of running away can sometimes be easier to locate.

“It might make it a little different or easier to help locate them again,” Galvez said. “When they don’t have that history, it’s really hard to tell where they might be.”

Authorities are urging anyone with information on Bayleigh’s whereabouts to call the Nueces County Sheriff’s Office at 361-887-2231.

Information on other missing children can be found through the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Bayleigh’s grandparents, David and Debbie Wishard, said they are deeply worried for her safety. They say they last saw her on Jan. 16 leaving their home in Calallen.