The frantic search for 17-year-old cheerleader Ava Phillips has finally come to a relief-filled conclusion after she was found alive following her sudden disappearance from Angleton High School earlier this week. Ava was last seen getting into a white Toyota Corolla outside the school at 10:02 a.m. on Tuesday, leaving behind her car with her phone, keys, and backpack still inside, sparking immediate concerns from her family and law enforcement.
Ava’s mother, Kailey Perez, raised the alarm when her daughter’s car was discovered abandoned in the school parking lot. Fearing the worst, Perez suspected that Ava may have been with her boyfriend and possibly headed to Austin, 200 miles from their hometown of Angleton, Texas. She also revealed that Ava had been trying to distance herself from a boy who had been emotionally abusive toward her, although it remains unclear whether this person was her current boyfriend.
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⚠️URGENT⚠️17-year-old #AvaPhillips from #AngletonTexas is missing after leaving school yesterday morning. She was last seen at 10 a.m. leaving Angleton High, but her car was found in the parking lot with her phone, keys, and backpack left inside.
Ava’s… pic.twitter.com/yxYH7Hxj1U
— 𝕏 🕵🏻♀️🦋L̤̮E̤̮G̤̮🅰️C̤̮Y̤̮🦋🕵🏻♀️ 𝕏 (@iamlegacy23) September 4, 2024
In a surprising update, the Angleton Police Department confirmed that Ava had been located safe and sound and had been reunited with her family. While the department did not release any further details about her disappearance or the circumstances surrounding her return, the reunion has brought a sense of relief to her loved ones after days of uncertainty.
UPDATE | Officials in Angleton say Ava Phillips has been found safe and has been reunited with her family pic.twitter.com/xTqVr5jul3
— Bobby Ellison (@BobbyEllisonKY) September 5, 2024
Ava’s disappearance gained widespread attention, thanks in part to Alex Bregman, the third baseman for the Houston Astros. Bregman shared a missing persons bulletin on social media, which quickly amassed over 158,000 views, amplifying the call for help in finding the missing teen. His involvement helped push the search into the public eye, though it remains unclear if any specific tip led to Ava’s safe return.
What still baffles many is why Ava left her car behind at the school with all her essential belongings, including her phone and keys. During the search, Perez shared that Ava had called her from a blocked number, sounding scared and distressed. Perez expressed fear that her daughter wasn’t in control of the situation, speculating that someone may have been influencing what Ava was saying. “She sounded scared, and I don’t think she’s in control… I think that someone’s telling her what to say,” Perez said at the time, heightening concerns for Ava’s safety.
Now that Ava has been found, the mystery around her disappearance remains. Authorities have yet to reveal the identity of her boyfriend or the specifics of what led her to vanish so suddenly, leaving behind her life and belongings. For now, Ava’s safe return is a much-needed comfort, but the unanswered questions about what truly happened linger as the community awaits further details.
