Search ends for teen missing for months, another teen arrested, SC sheriff says

A search for a South Carolina teenager who was missing for months and potentially in danger is over.

Sixteen-year-old Mackenzie Dalton was located and is safe, according to the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department. Dalton was located in Lexington County, but information about specifically where in the county, and when she was tracked down, was not available.

Another teenager, 18-year-old Mackenzie Keith English Jr., was arrested in connection to Dalton’s disappearance, the sheriff’s department said Tuesday. English was charged with obstruction of justice, according to the sheriff’s department.

English is accused of lying to investigators about being with Dalton and knowing her location, the sheriff’s department said.

Dalton was publicly reported missing Jan. 2 by the sheriff’s department. The 16-year-old had not been seen for several months, the sheriff’s department said in a news release.

Missing

Dalton was last seen leaving her Lexington home in late November, according to the release.

She drove away from the home and had a suitcase with her, the sheriff’s department said. Both the car and suitcase were recovered before the teen was located, according to the release.

When Dalton was first reported missing, the sheriff’s department called her “endangered.” Information about why she was considered to be in danger was not available.

Dalton was called a runaway, the sheriff’s department said. There was no word if Dalton was alone when she was last seen, but the sheriff’s department said it believed that the teen was traveling with a man she knows. Information about either the man’s identity or his relationship with Dalton was not available.

Located

After the teen was located, the sheriff’s department said it had no reason to believe Dalton was ever held against her will or with someone she didn’t want to be with.

There was no word if English was the man who it was believed was with Dalton, or if that is another person.

English is currently locked up in the Lexington County Detention Center, jail records show. Bond was set at $10,000 on the obstructing justice charge, according to jail records.

It wasn’t clear if English posted bond, but he remains behind bars because he’s also being held for another law enforcement agency, according to jail records. Information about which agency, and why they want him incarcerated, was not available.

This story was originally published January 4, 2026 at 9:47 AM.

Noah Feit

The State

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Noah Feit is a Real Time reporter with The State focused on breaking news, public safety and trending news. The award-winning journalist has worked for multiple newspapers since starting his career in 1999. Support my work with a digital subscription