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A South Carolina teenager who was reported missing late last year has been found safe and a man has been arrested in the case, authorities said.
The Lexington County Sheriff’s Office said Mackenzie Dalton, 16, was found in Lexington County following an investigation into her disappearance.
Deputies said there is no indication Dalton was ever held against her will or with someone she did not want to be with.
Dalton was reported missing after she was last seen leaving her home in late Nov., according to a statement from the sheriff’s office on Jan. 2. At the time, authorities said she was considered an endangered juvenile due to her age and the length of the time she had been gone.
Lexington County deputies said 16-year-old Mackenzie Dalton, missing since late November, was found safe on Jan. 6, 2026. (Lexington County Sheriff’s Office/Facebook)
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Investigators previously said they believed Dalton may have been with a man she knew, although authorities did not release the man’s identity.
The sheriff’s office said the vehicle Dalton drove away in and the suitcase she took from her home were recovered during the investigation. The teen was described as 5 feet, 4 inches tall and weighing 118 pounds.
Police arrested Mackenzie Keith English Jr., 18, in connection with this case. He is charged with obstruction of justice. He is accused of lying to investigators about being with Dalton and his knowledge of her location. (Lexington County Sheriff’s Office)
In connection with the case, deputies arrested Mackenzie Keith English Jr., 18, charging him with obstruction of justice.
Authorities said English is accused of lying to investigators about being with Dalton and about his knowledge of her whereabouts.
Investigators said 16-year-old Mackenzie Dalton, who left her home in late November, has been found safe. (AWARE Foundation)
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English is being held at the Lexington County Detention Center, the sheriff’s office said.