The search for missing Florida teen Sophia Cover has turned into a family plea for answers, after surveillance footage showed the 16-year-old walking out of her home in the middle of the night on July 31. Her great-grandmother, speaking in a video posted to Facebook by Sophia’s father, begged the girl to come home.
“Sophia! This is grandma,” she said in the video. “I love you. I love you. I love you. It’s time you come home! I want to see you again! I’m waiting for you, Sophia. I love you. I love you. I love you!” The emotional message underscored the pain surrounding the disappearance, which the family says has left them searching both online and in the community for any sign of the teenager.
Authorities say Sophia left her Florida home around 12:45 a.m. in Golden Gate Estates, about 40 miles south of Fort Myers. The area is part of Collier County, where the sheriff’s office is now fielding the public’s tips as the family and investigators look for clues about what happened after she disappeared. Her father, Richard Cover, said in his own message that “Everybody is looking for you.” He also urged her to come back safely and seek help from a police officer or any trusted adult if she is alone.
The missing teen is described as 5 feet 7 inches tall, 115 pounds, with brown eyes and long brown hair. Those details have been shared by authorities as the search continues, giving neighbors, drivers and residents a clear description to watch for in the area and beyond. In cases like this, the first hours and days matter, and families often lean heavily on public awareness to widen the search net beyond the home and immediate neighborhood.
