This story has been updated to reflect that Ticaria Fields was found
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Memphis Police canceled a City Watch for a missing girl around 11 Tuesday night, saying she had been found.
It ended more than three days of searching. New surveillance footage has been uncovered showing some of the last moments before the endangered teen disappeared Saturday.
Police began looking for 15-year-old Ticaria Fields that day. They said she has autism and functions at the level of an 8-year-old.
Employees of the Grizzly Mart at Macon and National said they know Fields well, saying she often comes in multiple times per day. They said she’ll take her time and sometimes spend about 15 minutes to make a cup of coffee. But new video WREG obtained shows she only spent about 5 minutes inside during her most recent visit.
Fields’ grandmother told police she last saw the 15-year-old at home when she gave her permission to walk to the Grizzly Mart less than a block away.
WREG has now obtained surveillance video where Fields can be seen in a striped dress, walking across the parking lot. As she got to the door, a man in a green shirt held it open.
She spent about 5 minutes inside and can been seen talking to the same man at the counter. As she left, she walked up to his Dodge Charger, talked to him for another couple minutes and eventually got inside.
“It’s concerning because I’ve got a child with learning disabilities; he’s autistic, so it’s crazy when you’ve got a child with learning disabilities, and folks take advantage of it,” Crystal Wilkes, a customer at the Grizzly Mart, said. “Kids with disabilities, there’s certain things they like, and folks know to take advantage of them.”
But there’s more. Police said Fields somehow ended up at a clothing store on Summer Avenue a mile away about five hours later. They said she bought a dress with an American flag pattern and might’ve left wearing it.
No one answered at the home where Fields’ grandmother lives, but we did see a rooming sign in the front yard, and neighbors said it’s more of a rooming house.
Meanwhile, police said they know she’s not with the man from the convenience store anymore, though they say how they know that.
People inside the clothing store where she was last seen said Fields was very quiet. With three days gone now, authorities are very concerned. They said to keep an eye out for a girl wearing that American flag dress, and anyone who sees her should call MPD immediately.
Fields can be seen in a striped dress walking across the parking lot. As she gets to the door, a man in a green shirt holds it open for her to enter.
She spends about five minutes inside.
The video shows her talking again to the same man at the counter. As she leaves, she walks up to his Dodge Charger, talks to him for another couple minutes and eventually gets inside the car.
Staff at the Grizzly Mart say Ticaria is a regular, coming here multiple times a day. They know she has autism.
But there`s more. Police say Ticaria somehow ended up at a clothing store on Summer Avenue a mile away about five hours later. They say she bought a dress with an American flag pattern and might’ve left wearing it.
No one answered at the home where Ticaria’s grandmother lives. It appeared to be more of a rooming house.
Meanwhile, police say they know she’s not with the man from the convenience store anymore, though they won’t say how they know that.
They describe Ticaria as about 5 feet tall. If you see her, call police.
