Community Joins Intensive Search for Missing 15-Year-Old Baton Rouge Teen
BATON ROUGE, LA — A community remains on high alert as the search for 15-year-old Ja’Derrius Minnieweather enters a critical phase. Law enforcement officials, volunteer rescue groups, and anxious family members have unified their efforts across East Baton Rouge Parish, scouring neighborhoods and wooded areas for any sign of the missing teenager, who vanished under troubling circumstances earlier this month.

According to the Baton Rouge Police Department, Ja’Derrius was last seen on Friday, June 5, 2026, at approximately 2:00 AM. He disappeared from an area locally known as “Ghost Town,” situated near Scenic Highway. At the time of his disappearance, he was wearing black sweatpants, a gray and black Jordan brand shirt, and red Nike slippers. Described as a Black male, Ja’Derrius stands 5 feet tall, weighs roughly 98 pounds, and features distinct black-and-brown dreadlocks.
The abrupt disappearance has shocked those close to him. Family members describe Ja’Derrius as an outgoing, hardworking teenager who had just reached an exciting milestone. He had recently started a summer youth employment program hosted at Istrouma High School. Relatives noted that his complete lack of communication is highly unusual, emphasizing that he is rarely seen without his mobile phone and is typically quick to reply to texts.

As the days pass without answers, grassroots mobilization has intensified. The United Cajun Navy, a prominent volunteer disaster relief and search organization, stepped in to coordinate massive ground operations. Over the past week, more than 100 community volunteers have mobilized alongside trained search-and-rescue teams. Search crews have systematically combed through dense wooded terrains, abandoned properties, and local levees, braving the oppressive Louisiana summer heat to search for clues.

Concurrently, the police investigation has taken complex turns. While executing a search warrant on the mobile device of a local 16-year-old girl in connection with the disappearance, detectives uncovered evidence of an unrelated crime. This led to the arrest of 50-year-old Maurice Parms on charges of indecent behavior with a juvenile. While law enforcement authorities have processed this arrest, they have not officially confirmed whether Parms is directly linked to the disappearance of Ja’Derrius. The investigation remains open, fluid, and active on multiple fronts.
With time being of the essence, both the family and local authorities are pleading with the public for any information, no matter how minor it may seem. Even a small detail could prove vital to bringing the teenager home safely.
Anyone who may have seen Ja’Derrius Minnieweather, or who possesses any information regarding his current whereabouts, is urgently requested to contact the Baton Rouge Police Department at (225) 389-2000. Anonymous tips can also be submitted by calling the Capital Region Crime Stoppers hotline at (225) 344-7867.