Search ends for missing South Carolina teenagers, cops say

UPDATE: Kha’lese Moni Benjamin and Ny’keyra Shalonda Nathaniel were found in Myrtle Beach Wednesday, according to the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office. Information about their conditions was not available.

Original Story

There was a development in the search for a missing teenager Wednesday, as the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office said Kha’lese Moni Benjamin could be with another 16-year-old runaway in South Carolina.

Benjamin and Ny’keyra Shalonda Nathaniel are believed to be with a man who is driving them around Myrtle Beach, the sheriff’s office said in a news release. The man was driving a white Infiniti, according to the release.

Further information about the man was not available.

Both Benjamin and Nathaniel are Sumter residents, the sheriff’s office said.

Before she was reported missing, Benjamin was last seen around 1:20 p.m. Tuesday at Colony Circle in Sumter, according to the release.

Since then, it’s believed that the teens were seen at a Family Dollar store on Kings Highway in Myrtle Beach, the sheriff’s office said.

Both Benjamin and Nathaniel have been entered into NCIC as runaways/missing persons.

The sheriff’s office described Benjamin as a 5-foot-5, 160-pound girl with brown eyes and black hair.

Nathaniel is a 5-foot, 110-pound girl, also with brown eyes and black hair, according to the sheriff’s office.

Anyone who has seen Benjamin or Nathaniel, or has information about them, is asked to call the sheriff’s office at 803-436-2000, CrimeStoppers at 888-CRIME-SC or submit an online tip.

In the case of an emergency, always call 911.

This story was originally published March 4, 2026 at 1:32 PM.

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