Damarius McElroy was 14 years old when he was reported missing from Queen Creek, Arizona, after he was last seen on January 23, 2026. The Queen Creek Police Department reported that the Black male teenager was last observed at approximately 1:23 p.m. that day. Damarius was described as having black hair and brown eyes, standing approximately 5 feet 7 inches tall and weighing about 160 pounds. When he disappeared, he was reportedly wearing a gray shirt and black sweatpants.
Authorities also noted that he had identifiable scars on both his left and right forearms, information that could help distinguish him if someone encountered him while he remained missing.
As the weeks passed without Damarius being publicly accounted for, his name remained among the teenagers Queen Creek police were attempting to locate. By late April 2026, police were still publicizing his disappearance and asking the community for assistance. Although investigators confirmed that he had last been seen somewhere in Queen Creek, the department did not release the more specific location where he disappeared. Police explained that, as part of efforts to protect missing teenagers, they had stopped publicly disclosing exact last-seen locations in such cases. The available public information did not describe what Damarius had been doing immediately before he disappeared, whether he was believed to have left voluntarily, whether he was accompanied by anyone, or what circumstances may have contributed to his disappearance. Authorities instead concentrated on releasing his physical description, clothing, identifying scars, and the time and date he was last known to have been seen. During the active search, anyone with information concerning his whereabouts was asked to contact the Queen Creek Police Department, with emergencies directed to 911.
The uncertainty surrounding Damarius's whereabouts eventually came to a reassuring conclusion. In May 2026, Queen Creek police reported that Damarius had been located and was safe. A public report issued on May 20 stated that the 14-year-old had been found safely earlier that week, bringing the search for him to an end. The precise date and circumstances of his recovery were not publicly specified, and authorities did not release details explaining where he had been found, how investigators located him, where he had been during the period he was missing, or whether another person had been involved. Because those details have not been made public, they should not be assumed. What was confirmed was the most important outcome for his family and community: Damarius had been found alive and safe.
Damarius McElroy's case began with the disappearance of a 14-year-old boy from Queen Creek on the afternoon of January 23, 2026, followed by a prolonged period in which police continued asking the public to help locate him. Authorities provided identifying information while withholding the exact place he was last seen in an effort to protect the safety and privacy of missing juveniles. Months after he vanished, police announced that Damarius had been located safely, closing what had been an active missing-person investigation. Although many of the circumstances surrounding both his disappearance and eventual recovery remain private or were never publicly released, the case ultimately ended with the outcome everyone searching for a missing child hopes to receive: Damarius was found alive and safe.Last Seen: Jan 23, 2026
