Fresno Police Seek Public Help Finding Missing 16-Year-Old Sheyla Esquival-Bahena

Fresno police have asked the public to help locate 16-year-old Sheyla Esquival-Bahena, who was last seen leaving her home in the area of West Cesar Chavez Boulevard and North Fruit Avenue on Jan. 16, 2026. Authorities made the request public on Jan. 23 as they distributed a missing-person notice and sought community assistance in finding the teenager.

Police describe Sheyla Esquival-Bahena as about 5'3" and roughly 130 pounds. She was reported to be wearing multi-colored heart-patterned pajamas and carrying a light-colored backpack when she left her residence. The Fresno Police Department is urging anyone with information about her whereabouts to contact the department immediately.

The department has asked community members to check social contacts and local areas where teens may travel. That appeal targets immediate neighborhood networks, friends, transit stops and other common gathering places for adolescents. By releasing the missing-person notice publicly, Fresno police are relying on community reporting to help narrow search efforts and identify potential sightings or leads.

Missing teenagers affect families and neighborhoods beyond the immediate household. For parents, caregivers, school staff and neighbors, the disappearance of a 16-year-old raises questions about teen mobility, safety on local routes and how quickly social circles and online contacts are checked when a young person does not return home. Rapid community response can be a decisive factor in locating missing minors, and local organizations and informal networks often play a key role in spreading timely information.

The Fresno Police Department’s distribution of the notice signals active investigative steps and a call for civic engagement. Local residents who may have seen Sheyla Esquival-Bahena in the days after Jan. 16, or who have information about her recent contacts or routine, are part of that effort. Police outreach to the public is a standard practice intended to expand search resources and generate tips that detectives can follow up.

Check immediate social contacts and local areas where teens commonly travel and call the Fresno Police Department with any information. Continued public tips will shape the next phase of the investigation and determine whether law enforcement can quickly reunite Sheyla Esquival-Bahena with her family.