Sixteen-year-old Sophia Cover was last seen on surveillance footage leaving her Golden Gate Estates home in Naples at about 12:45 a.m. on July 31. Her father, Richard Cover, believes she may have been abducted and has issued emotional public pleas for her safe return. Sophia is described as 5'7" and 115 lbs with long brown hair; local authorities have circulated alerts and asked anyone with information to contact the Collier County Sheriff's Office.
16-Year-Old Sophia Cover Missing Since July 31 in Naples — Father Pleads ‘Someone Has My Daughter’
Richard Cover and his daughter SophiaCredit: Roofer Rick/Facebook
Sixteen-year-old Sophia Cover has been missing since she was captured on surveillance footage leaving her family's home in the Golden Gate Estates neighborhood of Naples, Florida, at about 12:45 a.m. on July 31. Her father, Richard Cover, has made emotional public appeals and told local media he fears his daughter was taken against her will.
Description and Last Known Movements: The Collier County Sheriff's Office (CCSO) said a Facebook alert lists Sophia as 5 feet 7 inches tall and 115 pounds, with long brown hair and brown eyes. Surveillance video reviewed by local outlets shows her walking away from the home on 62nd Avenue Northeast wearing a dark hoodie and carrying a backpack.
Father's Account and Pleas: Richard Cover described discovering Sophia's bedroom door unlocked and finding her gone. He told Gulf Coast News he believes someone convinced or lured her to leave. In emotional posts on Facebook, he urged his daughter to return and asked anyone with information to come forward. He wrote in one post, "Sophia, if you see this … I need you to know that I love you more than words could ever explain... I'm not giving up on you. I'll keep searching, keep hoping, and keep praying until you're home safe."
Sophia Cover went missing from her Florida home on July 31Credit: Roofer Rick/Facebook
Background: Sophia moved to the Naples area with her family a few months before she disappeared and was due to return to high school in under two weeks, according to local reporting. Richard has also said in social posts that Sophia previously lived abroad with her mother before rejoining him in the United States.
Investigation and How the Public Can Help
Local law enforcement and Sophia's family have circulated alerts and asked neighbors and anyone who may have been in the area the night of July 31 to come forward. The Collier County Sheriff's Office has been cited in local reports; at the time of publication they had not provided an additional comment to outside media.
If you have information about Sophia's whereabouts or saw her on the night of July 31, contact the Collier County Sheriff's Office with any tips. Even small details can be important to investigators.
Richard Cover: "I think someone has my daughter. There is no way that she is going and putting me through this for five days … She's my buddy."
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