SANTA CRUZ, Calif. — A 20-year-old Indiana woman has not been seen or heard from in three weeks.
Lateche Norris traveled from Indiana to California to be with her boyfriend, says her family. However, shortly after arriving in San Diego, Norris called her mother in distress from a stranger’s phone on Nov. 5.
Norris told her mother that she and her boyfriend were arguing. Norris didn’t explain why she had no access to her own phone but told her mother she would call her back. She never did.
On Nov. 10, Norris’ mother alerted the San Diego Police Department, which opened a missing person case. However, the San Diego police do not consider Norris to be “at-risk”, though her friends and family disagree.
Norris and her boyfriend, Joseph Smith, lived together in Santa Cruz over the summer. Norris’ family and friends say they have tried contacting Smith, but he never responds. In addition, Norris is usually very active on social media, but all her accounts have been inactive since Nov. 5.
Norris lived in Indiana her whole life before she moved to Santa Cruz in the summer of 2021. She has brown eyes, dark brown or black hair, is 5’7″ tall, weighs 180 pounds, and has letters tattooed on her fingers.
Anyone with information on Norris’ whereabouts is asked to email Findlateche@gmail.com , or call the San Diego Police Department at 619-531-2446.
