“CHECK YOUR YARDS AND SHEDS”: COMMUNITY MOBILIZES AS MISSING AUTISTIC TEEN, 13, SPARKS URGENT SEARCH IN DALLAS

Natalie Armstrong has been missing since October 21. Police say she may need assistance, as volunteers and loved ones appeal to the public to check nearby properties and report any possible sightings.

An urgent search is underway in Dallas, Texas, for 13-year-old Natalie Armstrong, as police, volunteers and members of the community work to find the missing teenager.

Natalie, who is autistic, was last seen on Wednesday night, October 21, in the Lake Highlands area. The Dallas Police Department has classified her as an endangered missing person and says she may be in need of assistance.

The search has drawn support from Send Me DFW, a volunteer missing-persons organization helping canvass neighborhoods and spread information about Natalie’s disappearance.

LAST SEEN NEAR A DART TRAIN ROUTE

According to police, surveillance footage showed Natalie exiting a Dallas Area Rapid Transit train at SMU/Mockingbird Station at approximately 8:43 p.m. on October 21. She was accompanied by another person believed to be a juvenile whose identity has not been publicly confirmed.

Natalie was later seen walking in the 9300 block of Whistle Stop Place at around 10:08 p.m. Authorities have not confirmed where she went afterward.

Her mother, Megan Bernhardt, said Natalie left home without a cellphone, money or other electronic devices. The family has been deeply concerned because Natalie has not contacted them since she disappeared.

Bernhardt told local media that her daughter had been experiencing anxiety related to school evaluations scheduled for the following morning. She has publicly pleaded for Natalie to come home, emphasizing that she is not in trouble and that her family simply wants her to be safe.

“CHECK YOUR YARDS AND SHEDS”

Volunteer tracker Alfonso Solis, who is working with Send Me DFW, has urged residents to look carefully around their properties and shared spaces.

The appeal includes checking yards, sheds, apartment common areas, gyms and clubhouses for any sign of the teenager. The request reflects concern that Natalie may be seeking a sheltered place, although authorities have not confirmed that she is hiding in any particular location. <

Searchers are also sharing her information beyond Lake Highlands. The family has focused part of its search around Grapevine following possible sightings, and Natalie has relatives in Grapevine and Farmersville. Investigators have not publicly confirmed those sightings.

HOW THE PUBLIC CAN HELP

Natalie is described as approximately 5 feet 3 inches tall, weighing around 135 pounds, with brown hair and hazel eyes. She was last seen wearing a dark hoodie, blue jeans and white shoes.

Anyone who believes they have seen Natalie should contact law enforcement immediately rather than attempting to approach or follow her.

The Dallas Police Department asks anyone with information to call 911 or the department’s Youth Operations/Missing Persons Unit at 214-671-4268. Callers should reference case number 155505-2026.

For Natalie’s family, every possible lead matters. Loved ones and volunteers continue to appeal for help, hoping that someone in the community will recognize her and provide information that brings her home safely.

Natalie Armstrong remains missing in the latest reports reviewed for this article. Anyone with information is urged to contact Dallas police.