Mother fears for safety of missing Ogden teen Ziryeah Martinez
Aug 12, 2026, 6:34 PM | Updated: 6:41 pm
Image of 15-year-old Ziryeah Martinez, missing since June 25 when she was seen leaving a home in Roy, Utah. If you have information, please contact Ogden police at 801-395-8221. (Photo credit: Facebook)
(Photo credit: Facebook)
OGDEN — Whitlee Martinez is concerned about her missing daughter’s safety as police continue to search for 15-year-old Ziryeah Martinez, last seen leaving a family gathering in Roy last month.
Ogden police said Ziryeah Martinez was last seen July 25 at approximately 10:13 p.m. walking away from a home in Roy. She’d been attending a family gathering.
Her current whereabouts are unknown.
Police said information gathered during the investigation indicates Ziryeah may have traveled outside Utah. Investigators listed Arizona, New Mexico and the Portland, Oregon, area as possible destinations.
Ziryeah Martinez last seen at family gathering
Ziryeah’s mother Whitlee Martinez told KSL NewsRadio that her daughter had recently reconnected with relatives on her late father’s side of the family and was with them for the gathering in Roy.
Whitlee said she did not learn Ziryeah was missing until two days after her daughter was last seen.
“They said that the last time they saw her was on the doorbell camera walking away from the house,” Whitlee said. “I found out that my daughter was missing two days after she was already gone.”
Whitlee said she immediately filed a missing-person report and began contacting Ziryeah’s friends. She also looked through information she could find about her daughter’s communications.
‘Not normal at all’
She said disappearing for this long is completely out of character for the teenager.
“Never, never, never, never, never, ever,” Whitlee said when asked whether Ziryeah had disappeared like this before. “This is not normal. Not normal at all.”
Whitlee described her daughter as bright, creative and someone who cares deeply about her family and friends.
“She has such a huge heart,” Whitlee said. “She always goes out of her way to make people feel special, especially on their birthdays, holidays. She always makes sure that they are not forgotten about.”
She said Ziryeah loves drawing, skateboarding and beauty products and is especially close with her siblings.
“She’s just an amazing person all the way around,” Whitlee said.
Communication with an adult male
Whitlee said she’s become increasingly concerned about an adult man she believes Ziryeah had been communicating with online.
She said information she gathered from direct messages, social media and conversations with Ziryeah’s friends led her to believe the man is 26 years old. She alleges he had been communicating with her daughter and fears Ziryeah could now be with him.
Ogden police did not identify another person in the missing-person bulletin or say Ziryeah had been abducted. The department said it is actively working to locate her and develop additional investigative leads.
Whitlee also said Ziryeah can experience seizures when she has a significant rush of adrenaline or becomes extremely excited or nervous. She said her daughter does not take medication for the condition.
A potential new lead
Another potential lead came more recently.
She said a man reported seeing a girl he believed was Ziryeah near an extended-stay hotel in West Valley City last weekend. According to Whitlee, the man told them he spoke with the girl because she appeared young to be walking around the area alone.
Whitlee said the man reported that the girl was wearing the same clothing pictured on missing-person flyers. She said the possible sighting was reported to police.
She’s asking anyone who may have crossed paths with Ziryeah or knows anything about where she is to come forward.
If they just know anything, literally anything, please say something,” Whitlee said. “She’s 15 years old.”
Police describe Ziryeah as 5 feet, 6 inches tall and approximately 130 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes.
She was last known to be wearing a black Calvin Klein shirt.
Police said Ziryeah also has several distinctive features that could help identify her. She has a Nike swoosh-shaped scar beneath her left eye, one thumb that is shorter and thicker than the other, tattoos on her neck and the word “family” tattooed on one forearm.
Anyone who has seen Ziryeah Martinez or has information about where she may be is asked to contact Ogden Police Detective Stellmon at 801-629-8048 or the Ogden Police Department at 801-395-8221.
