Deputies from the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s office are looking for high school wrestling coach Phillip Maglaya and a 16-year-old girl reported missing Wednesday from Franklin High School in Stockton, California.
Authorities believe the two are in a romantic relationship and have run off together.
Here’s what you need to know about Phillip Maglaya:
1. This Was Maglaya’s Second Year as a Wrestling Coach at Franklin High School
Deputies are searching for 25yo Phillip Maglaya who they believe who ran off with a 16yo girl. Stockton Unified confirms Maglaya was a Volunteer wrestling coach at Franklin High School. District officials believe he is involved in a romantic relationship with the student @FOX40
According to KCRA, Maglaya was never hired on as a wrestling coach, but he did serve as a volunteer coach at Franklin High.
He was expected to continue aiding the other coaches this year until he was banned from the district when his connection to the missing teen was exposed. “On Wednesday, of course, as soon as we learned about this, he was immediately barred from entering any of our schools, including Franklin High School,” Dianne Barth, a spokeswoman for the Stockton Unified School District said.
Maglaya had passed all his background checks before coming aboard. Authorities suspect that the 16-year-old minor reported missing has run off Maglaya, as the two are rumored to be romantically involved.
“We take our student safety very seriously, and we will be working as hard as we can to help the sheriff’s department find the student,” Barth said.
2. The Parents of The Missing Teen Filed a Report on August 22nd; Police Are Calling on All Who Might Have Leads to Her Whereabouts
Police were made aware early Wednesday that a 16-year-old girl from Franklin High School had gone missing. The girl’s parents filed a report after their daughter had been gone 24 hours, telling police she left “abruptly.”
The San Joaquin County Sheriff’s office issued this statement two days into their investigation:
So far, nothing new has been reported concerning the unnamed minor’s location and whether or not she is safe.
3. The Missing Girl’s Friends Claim They Never Knew About Any Relationship Between Maglaya And Their Friend
Still no sign of the Franklin High School wrestling coach nor the 16 year old #Stockton girl authorities believe he vanished with. The district is working with law enforcement officers and the girl’s family to locate them. Details ahead on @CBSSacramento & @GoodDaySac.
Police say they have leads that Maglaya and the missing teen are romantically involved, but her friends claim they had no knowledge of it.
CBS Sacramento reported that her friends were unaware of any relationship between Maglaya and their friend.
Investigators have not released the victim’s name or a picture because she is a minor, but her friends are aware and have been interviewed along with her family.
“She mentioned someone, but not that it was a wrestling coach or anything, just someone that she might like,” Franklin High junior Brisa Madrigal said. “She never told us who he was, or where he’s from, or anything.”
4. The Missing Teen’s Family Confirmed She Was One of Two Girls Coached by Maglaya on Franklin High’s Wrestling Team
Family of the missing teen confirmed she is on the wrestling team, CBS Sacramento reported on August 25th.
The girl’s parents received a text from their daughter on Wednesday telling them not to worry about her and that she’s safe. They haven’t heard from the girl since.
The girl’s friends say she had been missing classes leading up to her disappearance but those closest to her never saw Maglaya around campus. When shown his picture, they claimed to have never seen him even off campus.
5. Maglaya Drives a 1994 Green Toyota With California Plates; Authorities Say it is The Vehicle he And The Missing Teen Are Thought to be Traveling in
Little information has come forth on Phillip Maglaya. He doesn’t have any social media accounts and no one at Franklin High ever got to know him while he was coaching. No one even knew where he was from.
But those who worked with him were able to confirm with authorities that Maglaya drives a 1994 Green Toyota with California plates 8G91493.
If you think you may have spotted Maglaya or his vehicle, the Joaquin Sheriff’s Office urges you to call them at (209) 468-4400, or their Investigations Unit at (209) 468-4425. Anyone with tips having to do with the whereabouts of the missing teen and her alleged lover are urged to contact one of the two hotlines.
“I just pray she comes home.” -mom of the missing teen.
This story is being updated.