Mother of missing teen asks Sumter community to help find her son

More than a week has gone by since Angel Brown last saw her 18-year-old son, who was reported missing after the holidays.

With days not knowing where he is, what happened and whether he's OK, she's filled with worry and asking for the public's help in finding her lost son.

"He's never done this before," Brown said. "In 18 years, he's never gone over 24 hours without contacting myself, my mom or one of his siblings. Like never."

Brown last saw Jackson Brent Garcia on Christmas day before he stayed the night with his cousin on Ithica Drive on Dec. 26.

"We are assuming that he left by foot. We don't know. We just know that he was outside with his cousin. The cousin went back inside, and Brent never came back in," she said.

Despite organized search parties by foot, vehicle, horses, drones and boats searching through woods, ditches, waterways, abandoned houses and nearby communities, Jackson Brent Garcia has yet to come home.

"This is very out of character for him," Brown said. "I don't know of him to have any enemies."

Brown even hired an outside company, Black River Search and Rescue Inc., to help find Garcia.

"The sheriff's office did not bring their dogs out, so we hired a company out of Camden," Brown said. "They brought their bloodhounds out."

When she's not out searching with other family members and friends, Brown stations herself around Sumter passing out flyers that have been locally printed as well as donated from people in Charleston.

The next search party will be held at 9 a.m. on Saturday at the Gamecock Shrine Club on U.S. 15, according to Brown. Anyone is welcomed to come help find her son.

Brown's message to her son: "Brent, we love you, we miss you, and we want you home safely."

According to the Sumter County Sheriff's Office Public Information Officer Adrienne Sarvis, investigators have been following leads as they come; however, they have not led to Garcia's location. They have conducted aerial, foot and K-9 searches for Garcia at his last known location and in the U.S. 15 South area near that location.

Garcia was last seen wearing light gray sweatpants, black-and-white sneakers and a dark jacket. He is 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighs about 170 pounds. He has brown hair and hazel eyes. He is known to visit the U.S. 15 South and Cherryvale areas.

Garcia does have a history of mental illness and is not on medication at this time, Sarvis said.

Anyone with information about Garcia's whereabouts, recent activities and people he could be in contact with should call the sheriff's office at (803) 436-2000 or call Crime Stoppers at 1-888-CRIME-SC (274-6372). Tips can also be given electronically and anonymously by going to p3tips.com.