Authorities Search for Runaway Teen from Baton Rouge Group Home

17-year-old Shonnia Hamilton fled Youth Oasis Children's Shelter on Friday night

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

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Deputies in East Baton Rouge Parish are searching for a 17-year-old girl named Shonnia Hamilton who ran away from a group home called the Youth Oasis Children's Shelter on Friday night. Hamilton, who is from Shreveport, suffers from epilepsy, and her family says the group home was slow to notify law enforcement of her disappearance.

Why it matters

Runaway incidents from group homes and youth shelters can pose serious risks, especially for minors with medical conditions like Hamilton's epilepsy. The case highlights the challenges group homes face in ensuring the safety and security of vulnerable residents.

The details

Shonnia Hamilton was a resident at the Youth Oasis Children's Shelter in Baton Rouge when she ran away on Friday night. Her family says she had been gone for hours before the group home notified the East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office, which is now searching for her whereabouts.

  • Hamilton ran away from the group home on Friday night, February 11, 2026.

The players

Shonnia Hamilton

A 17-year-old girl from Shreveport who was residing at the Youth Oasis Children's Shelter in Baton Rouge when she ran away on Friday night. Hamilton suffers from epilepsy.

Youth Oasis Children's Shelter

A group home in Baton Rouge, Louisiana where Shonnia Hamilton was staying before she ran away on Friday night.

East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office

The law enforcement agency that is searching for the whereabouts of the runaway teen, Shonnia Hamilton.

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What’s next

The East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office is continuing its search for Shonnia Hamilton and urging anyone with information about her whereabouts to contact them at (225) 389-5000.

The takeaway

This case underscores the need for group homes and youth shelters to have robust security protocols and communication plans to quickly notify authorities when residents go missing, in order to minimize risks to vulnerable individuals like Shonnia Hamilton.