It was a worried Lucricia McGowan who visited THE STAR's offices on Monday night.

The mother of three was in a quandary as she revealed her 16-year-old daughter Lateisha Beltre had simply run away into the darkness about 1 a.m. yesterday.

McGowan, who lives with her daughter in Mountain View, east Kingston, said she last spoke to her about 8 p.m. before she went by a neighbour to get her hair combed. "She said she was going next door to get her hair cane row for school. I told her she should go, but I went there and told the girl that is doing her hair to make sure that she goes inside when she is done," her mom related.

man and daughter ran

She said the girl told her that she did so, and saw Lateisha enter the house. McGowan said when she returned home about 1 a.m., the grille to her home was open and a man was on the veranda. Both the man and her daughter ran. Since then, she has not seen or heard from her daughter - neither have family members or friends.

McGowan said, "Today (Monday), I saw the guy, and I asked him where my daughter was and he said he had not seen her all day.

I have been looking for her since 1 a.m. I don't eat or sleep. I think she is afraid of what I might do to her that's why she make a run for it, but I just want her to know that I love her. I want her to be home safe, I am so concerned. I want her to know that I won't be hurting her or anything, I just want her to come home."

She said Lateisha was the only child who lived with her and as a single mother, she does her best to care for her. She said her daughter was not a troublemaker and does very well at school.

When last seen, Lateisha was wearing a green and white spandex shorts and a white blouse. Anyone with information can call McGowan at 397-6899 or the Mountain View police.