Author: Matt LaFever
Laila Cross, a 15-year-old runaway from Kansas, was sighted today in Hopland, California. Laila’s mother, Sandra Cross, had information that Laila and her 18-year-old boyfriend Wrangler Walker would be picking up his 1990 Geo Tracker from a speed shop located on Highway 175. Based on the information, this reporter went to the location of the speed shop curious about finding the vehicle and spotted it near the roadway. Upon photographing the vehicle and sending the images to Laila’s mother, this reporter headed west on Highway 175 and unexpectantly observed Wrangler walking towards the speed shop and a quarter-mile later Laila seemingly hiding on the roadside.
Having spotted the missing teenager and her boyfriend, law enforcement was contacted immediately. While speaking with the Mendocino County Sheriff’s dispatch, Laila and Wrangler passed my parked car driving west at a high rate of speed. Returning to the roadway, I followed several hundred yards behind the vehicle. After rounding a bend in the highway, the Geo Tracker abruptly changed the direction of the vehicle and sped off east towards Lake County. The entirety of the sighting was caught on dashcam.
Laila Cross’s hair was black, unlike the previous reporting that suggested she dyed her hair blonde. She wore a black sweater, black pants, and wore glasses. Wrangler wore a red hat with a prominent white logo and brown, shoulder-length hair hung beneath. He was bespectacled and wore dark clothes and a backpack.
Sandra had been informed that Laila and Wrangler had exchanged vehicles at the speed shop in hopes to avoid detection. The couple borrowed a two-tone 1978 Corvette and, mere miles away from the speed shop, the Corvette broke down and became inoperable. According to a conversation with California Highway Patrol dispatch, the vehicle was found abandoned in the middle of Highway 175 and impounded for expired registration. Knowing this, Sandra inferred Wrangler would soon be returning to the speed shop to pick up the original vehicle.
Laila and Wrangler have been away from their Kansas homes since October 11. They traveled over 1,500 miles to Humboldt County. On October 15, police would find them at Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. Wrangler was found to be in possession of an unloaded firearm without proper California licensure so he was booked into Humboldt County Correctional Facility. Sandra was contacted as to her daughter’s whereabouts and a family friend agreed to house Laila until a flight could be booked back to Kansas. The morning before the flight, Laila jumped out of the window of the family friend and has not contacted her family since.
Approximately one week ago, this reporter engaged in a social media search for both Wrangler and Laila. After following Wrangler on Instagram, I messaged him asking him if he would be willing to help in the search for Laila. He responded that he had not “seen Laila in quite some time” and he had been in a “state of somewhat depression since she left me like that.” After today’s sighting of the two together, it is clear Laila and Wrangler have reunited.
Ultimately, Sandra wants her teenage daughter home. She worries for her safety and has relied on second-hand information garnered from social media to piece together their travels. Today’s sighting is the first confirmation they are indeed traveling together since being found at Prairie Creek State Park on October 15.If you see Laila Cross or Wrangler Walker or their white 1990 Geo Tracker with the green top (Kansas License #048MDF), email us at [email protected], message via Facebook, or call in a tip at (707)560-1543. Other reporting options include calling the Eureka Police Department(707)441-4060, the Larned Kansas Police Department (620)285-8545 or the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Department (707)463-4086.
