Missing 16-Year-Old Eugene Teen May Be At Risk, Possibly With Mother

Michael M. Newton, 16, went missing from Eugene on Feb. 3 and "may be at risk," the Oregon Department of Human Services Child Welfare Division said as it and the Eugene Police Department seek public help locating him. The case is being handled by Eugene Police Department under case number EPD 26-026968.

Michael is described as 5 feet 9 inches tall, weighing 240 pounds, with dark brown hair and blue-grey eyes. Authorities believe Michael may be traveling with his mother, Ms. Aroya Newton, and Ms. Newton’s partner, Noah Miller. ODHS has identified possible locations where the group may be found as Cottage Grove, Mapleton and Florence.

Public safety officials have asked anyone with urgent information to call 911. ODHS has also urged community members to report tips through the Oregon Child Abuse Hotline at 1-855-503-7233, shown in some releases as 1-855-503-SAFE (7233). "ODHS asks the public to help in the effort to find Michael. Anyone who suspects they have information about his location should call 911 or the Oregon Child Abuse Hotline at 1-855-503-SAFE (7233)," one advisory reads. The hotline is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week and 365 days a year to receive reports.

ODHS supplied photos of Michael for media distribution; outlets republished images labeled as provided by ODHS. Eugene Police Department has filed the official missing-person report, but authorities have not released a last-seen time, an exact last-known location in Eugene, or a clothing description. There have been no publicly reported witness accounts, surveillance links, or additional leads released in connection with the case as of the latest advisory.

For Lane County residents, the alert underscores the importance of neighborhood vigilance along key local corridors between Eugene and the southern and coastal communities named in the advisory. Cottage Grove and Mapleton are common travel and family-visit routes, while Florence is a frequent destination on Highway 101; residents and commercial drivers in those areas are asked to be alert for the described individual and for the adults named in the alert.

ODHS and Eugene Police are coordinating the response; they emphasize assessment and safety rather than speculation. The immediate practical step for anyone who thinks they have seen Michael or has credible information is to call 911 or the Oregon Child Abuse Hotline at 1-855-503-7233. Authorities will continue to update the public as new information becomes available; meanwhile community reporting remains the primary means to bring Michael safely home.