GREENVILLE, SC – Greenville Police are looking for missing teenager, Skyla Makenzie Phillips, who was last seen on August 18.
Skyla’s mother, Freedom Cooper, says she has the mental capacity of a ten-year-old and police believe she may be with a woman in Georgia. Cooper says this woman has a history of putting Skyla in danger.
Cooper sat down with 7 News’ Addie Hampton, Monday.
“I immediately felt horror because we had a previous incident with this girl,” said Cooper, speaking about Angel Atkins.
Her mother says Skyla met Atkins online. The incident dated back to January.
“Skyla, you know, in the mind condition that she has, when someone around her age wants to be friends with her, she grabs onto them,” Cooper explained.
She said Atkins took advantage of Skyla’s trust.
“She had taken Sylah to a house and abandoned her. Skyla had to walk to a store and call me to come get her,” said Cooper.
Cooper prevented her daughter from seeing Atkins again, but Friday, hours after Skyla was supposed to return from a sleepover, Skyla messaged a family friend. In that exchange, she said she was with her “big sister.” Confused, the family friend asked who that was. Skyla said “Angel.”
“That’s when I called the police,” said Cooper.
Neighbors say they saw Phillips get into a Silver Honda with two other people.
Greenville Police tell 7 News they are actively investigating the disappearance. They say the public has been especially helpful by sending in multiple tips and sharing this story thousands of times.
“The way the community has responded, it makes me happy to know that there’s so many people that care,” said Cooper, in tears.
Police say she was seen leaving the Berkley Pointe apartments on Wenwood Road wearing orange shorts and a white t-shirt. She may be wearing blue jeans and a green t-shirt, police say. The 18-year-old is 5’7″ and weighs 170 pounds. Her mother says she walks on her tip toes and speaks softly.
Anyone with information on her location is asked to call Greenville Police at 864-271-5333.
