Family pleads with public to help find Moreno Valley teen who's been missing since Jan. 13

MORENO VALLEY, Calif. (KABC) -- Family members and friends of a missing Moreno Valley teenager passed out flyers in grocery stores and parking lots in an effort to find her Tuesday.

It's been nine days since 16-year-old Aranda Briones disappeared. The girl's uncle said someone knows something.

"Nowadays, you know teenagers want to cover up for a friend or someone says I don't want to tell because I'm scared. But just come forward - the only person you're hurting right now is Aranda," Matthew Horstkotte said.

Horstkotte said a friend of his niece told investigators he dropped Briones off in the parking lot of Moreno Valley Community Park around 6 p.m. on Jan. 13.

But they said investigators reviewed the surveillance video and did not find anything. Horstkotte said he wonders whether that friend is hiding something.

"She did have a bad choice of friends, I'll be honest, you know everybody does. Everybody makes mistakes, but you know one thing I want? I just want her home safe," Horstkotte said.

The family said the last known location of Briones, based on her phone, was in Rubidoux and that the device is no longer active.

The Riverside County Sheriff's Department is asking for the public's help, but would not go into specifics about the case.

"Nine days on a missing person case - obviously with each passing second, each passing minute, each passing day - from a law enforcement standpoint, we don't like it," Sgt. Chris Willison said.

Sheriff's officials would not confirm whether they suspect foul play.

Anyone with more information on Briones and her whereabouts is urged to call the sheriff's department at (951) 247-8700. A tip line has also been set up to leave anonymous tips at (951) 247-8700.