FARMINGTON, NM — New Mexico State Police have issued a Turquoise Alert for 18-year-old Charisma Phillips, who was last seen early Friday in San Juan County. Police said she was walking toward Farmington when she was last seen.
The alert was issued after Phillips was reported missing from the area around Ojo Amarillo and Fruitland. Authorities said she was seen on foot around 3:30 a.m. on Sept. 26. Farmington police are asking anyone with information to come forward as the search continues.
Last known sighting near Ojo Amarillo and Fruitland
Police said Phillips was last seen in the Ojo Amarillo and Fruitland area in San Juan County. The location sits in northwestern New Mexico, not far from Farmington, which is where investigators say she was headed on foot.
The timing of the sighting places her disappearance in the early morning hours of Sept. 26. At that point, officers say she was walking in the direction of the city, but no additional details were released about where she may have gone after that.
The Turquoise Alert is meant to help quickly spread information when a missing young person may be at risk. In this case, state police and local officers are relying on the public to help fill in the gaps around Phillips’ movements.
What police say Charisma Phillips looks like
Authorities described Phillips as 5 feet tall and weighing between 220 and 270 pounds. Police also said she has brown eyes and long, straight black hair.
Those details are part of the alert so people can more easily recognize her if they see someone who may match the description. In missing-person cases, even small observations can matter, especially when a person was last seen on foot and no vehicle was mentioned in the alert.
Police did not release any other identifying clothing details in the information provided about the alert. The basic physical description remains one of the main tools available to the public while investigators work the case.
Farmington police ask residents to call with tips
The Farmington Police Department asked anyone with information about Phillips to call 505-334-6622. That number was provided for tips that may help officers locate her or confirm where she was after leaving the area where she was last seen.
Police have not publicly said whether they believe Phillips is in immediate danger or whether any additional agencies are involved beyond New Mexico State Police and Farmington police. The alert itself indicates authorities want the case shared widely and quickly.
For residents in the region, that means checking any recent sightings carefully and reporting information directly to law enforcement rather than waiting to see if someone else has called. Investigators often depend on those first-hand reports to narrow a search area.
Why the Turquoise Alert matters in New Mexico
New Mexico uses Turquoise Alerts to draw attention to missing and endangered people, especially when time is critical. The system is meant to get the message out through multiple channels so the public can help identify the missing person or provide leads.
In Phillips’ case, the alert focuses on a young adult last seen walking near the Farmington area before daylight Friday. That makes local awareness especially important, because someone may have seen her along roads, in neighborhoods, or at businesses during the early morning hours.
Although the alert does not include every detail about what happened before she disappeared, it gives investigators a starting point: the location, the time, and the direction she was believed to be traveling. Those facts are now central to the search.
How the public can help find Phillips
Anyone who thinks they may have seen Charisma Phillips is urged to contact Farmington police as soon as possible. Even information that seems minor, such as a possible sighting near Fruitland or along a route into Farmington, could help investigators piece together her path.
Police did not provide an updated location or confirm that she has been found. Until more is known, officers are relying on community members to stay alert and share any reliable information tied to her disappearance.
The alert centers on a simple request: pay attention, remember the details, and report anything useful. For a missing-person case, those steps can make a real difference in the early hours after someone is last seen.
When the weather turns dangerous, SVH Snow is watching.
