- Event: Conclusion of a missing person search
- Location: Jena
- Time of return: 19.02.2026, approx. 18:00
- Status: Person safe and sound
Jena (20.02.2026) – Relief in the Saalestadt: A recently missing 16-year-old is back. As the Landespolizeiinspektion Jena announced early Friday morning, the public search has been officially discontinued. The case, which had garnered attention on social media and in the local press, has thus reached a happy conclusion.
Return to the family
According to officials, the teenager independently went to her father’s residential address on Thursday evening, February 19, 2026, around 18:00. The most important news for relatives and helpers: The girl is unharmed. Regarding the background of her disappearance or her whereabouts during the search, the police provided no further details for reasons of personal privacy. This is standard practice in such cases to protect the privacy of minors once no further danger exists.
Thanks to the population
Public searches are often an important tool for investigative authorities when all other search measures have been exhausted. In this case, the Jena police explicitly thanked the public for their support. Numerous tips had been received by the authorities after the appeal was published. This rapid dissemination of search notices – often via digital channels and local news portals – significantly increases search pressure and awareness, which frequently contributes to a faster resolution.
Note on data protection in searches
With the successful return of the teenager, the legal mechanisms of data protection now take effect. The police point out that the search measures have been discontinued. In practice, this means that published photos and personal data of the 16-year-old should be deleted from the media and from private accounts on social networks. The public appeal has fulfilled its purpose; now it is time to restore the privacy of the family and the teenager.
For the Jena police, this outcome is a success, as missing person cases involving minors are always treated with the highest priority to rule out potential dangers to life and limb as quickly as possible.
Source:
Polizei-News Jena, 20.02.26: Search for 16-year-old girl ended
Transparency Note: This article was created automatically, editorially reviewed, and expanded with AI support.