YORBA LINDA, Calif. (CNS) — The Orange County Sheriff's Department on Tuesday night announced a missing Yorba Linda teenager, a search that had been upgraded to an "at-risk" case, had been found.

The Orange County Sheriff Department tweeted that Nya Jingles, who had turned 14 weeks ago, had been found safe and would be returend home to her family. 

Her case had been upgraded to "at-risk" because she had been withouth her medication since she had last been seen on Thursday. 


What You Need To Know

  • Missing Yorba Linda teenager has been found

  • Nya Jingles, who turned 14 three weeks ago, was located safe

  • Nya was last seen wearing a dark green Nike jacket and dark basketball shorts with white trim, Braun said. She left home about 10:30 p.m. Thursday

  • She will be returned home to her family, according to the Orange County Sheriff Department 

Nya reportedly left home about 10:30 p.m. Thursday, according to Carrie Braun of the Orange County Sheriff's Department.

The teen's family reported her missing at 4 a.m. Friday, Braun said.

When Nya's parents provided more information about the medication she requires, sheriff's investigators upgraded it to an "at-risk" missing juvenile case, Braun said. 

The teen's parents, Valanitta and Clarence Jingles, made Facebook posts criticizing the lack of urgency of sheriff's deputies and appealed to the public for help finding their adopted daughter.

Valanitta Jingles said she first met Nya when she was between 18 months to 2 years old. She said the toddler had experienced "trauma" that led a judge to take custody of the child away from her mother, Jingles said.

Valanitta Jingles adopted Nya and her brother, she said.

Nya has an IQ in the low- to mid-70s and is not fully potty trained, Jingles said. The teen has been diagnosed with autism, bipolar disorder and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, Jingles said.

"Nya has been in therapy since she was 3 years old due to the trauma she has suffered," her mother said.

"She has not had her medication in days so I know she's scared and she is not able to think straight and she does not know how to get back home," Jingles said in her Facebook post.

Nya "looks like she's got it all together," Jingles said.