A Columbia family is searching for their missing 15-year-old daughter, Z’Maiah Carter.
Today the family came together at a shopping plaza in Columbia where they say the teen was supposed to be last seen more than a week ago.
"Just know that we love you. We want you home. We want you home safe. We miss you," said April Carter, Z’Maiah's mother.
"We had reports that she was walking over to Chik-Fil-A to meet a friend for some money for school work. They say she never made it that way," said James Boy, Z’Maiah's father.
The shopping plaza on Two Notch Road is where Z’Maiah's family says she was supposed to be last Tuesday when she disappeared. The plaza is less than half a mile from Spring Valley High School where Z’Maiah is a freshman.
"A 911 call was made of someone screaming in the parking lot asking for help on the exact same day," said Chandra Cleveland, private investigator.
The family says through working with private investigator Chandra Cleveland they've learned that call to authorities fits the timeline of when Z’Maiah left school and did not ride the bus home like she usually does.
"People in the area heard a young girl scream "help, someone please help me" they heard it all the way in the store," said Cleveland.
"It shouldn't take for us to hire a private investigator to do the work that Richland County Sheriff's Department should be doing all alone. I am not trying to bash anyone but we need to do better as a team," said Carter.
As they wait for answers the family is banding together in prayer and asking anyone that saw something to say something.
"We want her home today. It has been going on over a week and we need her back now," said Boyd.
Family of missing teen speaks out after hiring help
