What happened to Mackenzie Dalton? Police fear missing South Carolina teen may be in danger

A search is underway for 16-year-old girl Mackenzie Dalton, who disappeared from her South Carolina home. Police believe she is traveling with a man she knows.

Published on: Jan 06, 2026 6:28 AM IST

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A search is underway for a 16-year-old girl who disappeared from her South Carolina home over a month ago. Police fear Mackenzie Dalton may be in danger while in the company of a man she knows, according to the New York Post.

What happened to Mackenzie Dalton? Police fear missing South Carolina teen may be in danger (Lexington County Sheriff's Department/Facebook)

What we know about the case so far

Deputies have been searching for Dalton since late November 2025, which is when she left her home in Lexington, the Lexington County Sheriff’s Office said. Police said that the teen is believed to be traveling alongside a man she knows, but a physical description of him has not been released.

Officials said that the car Dalton drove away in, and the suitcase she took from home, have been found. The teen, however, remains missing.

Dalton has blonde hair and blue eyes. She is 5’4” and weighs 118 pounds.

The Lexington County Sheriff's Department shared a smiling photo of Dalton on Facebook, writing, “We need your tips on the whereabouts of an endangered juvenile runaway named Mackenzie Dalton. We’ve been working to find the 16 year old since she left her Lexington home in late November.”

More than 2,500 people go missing each year in South Carolina, with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) reporting that in 2023, over 200 children went missing. Many of South Carolina’s missing person cases remain open, involving both children and adults.

Anyone with information about Dalton’s whereabouts can share it anonymously by using the Crimestoppers mobile app or by calling 888-274-6372.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sumanti Sen
Sumanti Sen covers everything that’s happening in the US, from politics to entertainment, but her expertise lies in covering crime news. She has comprehensively chronicled the Idaho student murders, the Laken Riley and Iryna Zarutska cases, and the killing of Charlie Kirk, among other incidents. Over the years, she has interviewed several victims/families of victims of crimes seeking justice. She digs up stories that might otherwise remain unheard, and does her bit to ensure that victims and survivors’ voices are heard. Sumanti’s many years of experience also include interviews with Hamas attack survivors and mental health experts, among others. Her coverage of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and interviews with survivors of the tragedy, coupled with her other works including the Titan submersible coverage, earned her the Digi Journo of the Quarter award during her first year at Hindustan Times. Sumanti actively tracks missing person cases in the United States, and peruses Reddit and other social media platforms to bring to light cases that frequently elude public attention. She has extensively covered the disappearances of Nancy Guthrie, Thomas Medlin, Beau Mann, and Sudiksha Konanki, among others. When not at work, you will either find her with her novels, or with her beloved rescue pooches.Read More

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