Overview

• Full Name: Jessica Beatrice Quej-Caal
• Also Known As: Jessica Beatriz Quej-Caal
• Age at Disappearance: 16 years old
• Date Last Seen in Person: August 22, 2023, according to contemporary reporting
• Last Known Contact: August 25, 2023
• Last Known Location: 21000 block of Meekland Avenue, Hayward, California
• City: Hayward
• County: Alameda County
• State: California
• Case Classification: Missing juvenile; initially described by law enforcement as a runaway missing child
• Current Case Status: Listed as missing in California Department of Justice records
• Investigating Agency: Alameda County Sheriff’s Office
• Law Enforcement Case Number: 23-012719

Case Overview: Jessica Beatrice Quej-Caal was 16 years old when she disappeared from her home in Hayward, California, in August 2023. Her family subsequently received text messages indicating she was safe, but she did not disclose her location. Her last reported communication with family occurred on August 25, 2023. Authorities expressed concern for her safety, particularly because she was reportedly unfamiliar with public transportation and the surrounding area. Her whereabouts remain publicly unresolved.

Detailed Case Breakdown

Jessica Beatrice Quej-Caal Missing in Hayward, California: The Unsolved 2023 Disappearance of a 16-Year-Old Girl

Case Summary

• Full Name: Jessica Beatrice Quej-Caal
• Also Known As: Jessica Beatriz Quej-Caal
• Age at Disappearance: 16 years old
• Date Last Seen in Person: August 22, 2023, according to contemporary reporting
• Last Known Contact: August 25, 2023
• Last Known Location: 21000 block of Meekland Avenue, Hayward, California
• City: Hayward
• County: Alameda County
• State: California
• Case Classification: Missing juvenile; initially described by law enforcement as a runaway missing child
• Current Case Status: Listed as missing in California Department of Justice records
• Investigating Agency: Alameda County Sheriff’s Office
• Law Enforcement Case Number: 23-012719

Case Overview: Jessica Beatrice Quej-Caal was 16 years old when she disappeared from her home in Hayward, California, in August 2023. Her family subsequently received text messages indicating she was safe, but she did not disclose her location. Her last reported communication with family occurred on August 25, 2023. Authorities expressed concern for her safety, particularly because she was reportedly unfamiliar with public transportation and the surrounding area. Her whereabouts remain publicly unresolved.

Background and Circumstances of Jessica Quej-Caal’s Disappearance

Jessica Beatrice Quej-Caal was born on April 30, 2007. At the time of her disappearance, she was a 16-year-old Hispanic teenager living in the Hayward area of Alameda County, California.

Publicly available information about Jessica’s personal background is limited. Details about her school, friendships, interests, and everyday activities have not been sufficiently documented in reliable public reporting. Nevertheless, the available records establish that she was a minor when she disappeared and that her family sought information about her whereabouts.

Jessica was last reportedly seen at her residence in the 21000 block of Meekland Avenue during the early morning hours of August 22, 2023.

According to a missing-person account associated with her case, family members returned home on August 23 and discovered that Jessica was not there. During the following days, relatives reportedly communicated with her through text messages.

In those messages, Jessica reportedly indicated that she was fine but did not reveal where she was staying.

Her last known communication with family occurred on August 25, 2023. This is the date recorded by the California Department of Justice as her last contact.

The distinction between the dates is important. August 22 represents the last reported in-person sighting, while August 25 represents her last known contact. Neither date establishes precisely when or why she disappeared.

What Jessica Was Wearing

At the time she was last seen, Jessica was reportedly wearing a gray shirt, red shorts, and pink Crocs.

Her physical description in California’s missing-person records included:

• Height: 5 feet, 3 inches
• Weight: Approximately 120 pounds
• Hair: Black
• Eyes: Brown
• Sex: Female

These characteristics reflect her appearance when she was reported missing in 2023. Her appearance may have changed in the years since.

Investigation History and Available Evidence

Initial Missing-Person Investigation

The Alameda County Sheriff’s Office became the primary law enforcement agency associated with Jessica’s disappearance.

The initial public alert described her as a runaway missing child. That terminology reflects the classification used in the original appeal; it does not establish that Jessica left voluntarily, that she remained safe, or that investigators conclusively determined what happened to her.

One significant concern identified in the initial reporting was Jessica’s limited familiarity with the surrounding area and public transportation.

Investigators also knew that she had access to a cellphone and had reportedly communicated through text messages after she was last seen at home.

These circumstances made the period between August 22 and August 25 particularly important to understanding her disappearance.

September 2023 Public Appeal

On September 5, 2023, the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office publicly appealed for assistance in locating Jessica.

The department expressed concern about her safety and encouraged members of the public to share information that might help authorities find her.

The appeal attracted regional news coverage, including reporting from the San Francisco Chronicle.

The available reporting identified Jessica’s last known residential location, described her clothing, and provided information about her cellphone communications.

However, the public reporting did not establish her destination, whether she was accompanied by another person, or whether investigators had identified anyone who knew her location.

Cellphone Communications

Jessica’s reported text messages are among the most significant publicly described details in the case.

The messages reportedly indicated that she was fine, but she declined to disclose her whereabouts.

Her last reported text communication with family occurred on August 25, 2023.

Publicly available information does not establish whether investigators recovered additional communications, examined cellphone location data, or identified the person operating the phone during those exchanges.

There is also no publicly verified evidence establishing that the messages were sent under coercion or that someone else was using Jessica’s device.

Those possibilities should not be treated as established facts.

Physical and Forensic Evidence

The publicly available records do not describe the recovery of physical evidence establishing what happened to Jessica.

No verified public investigative announcement was located identifying forensic evidence, DNA testing results, genetic genealogy findings, or recovered remains connected to her disappearance.

Similarly, no confirmed public report establishes that investigators recovered surveillance footage showing her movements after leaving home.

The absence of publicly released evidence does not necessarily mean investigators have no additional information. Some investigative material may remain confidential.

Theories and Unresolved Questions

Jessica’s disappearance raises several questions, but the available evidence does not support a definitive explanation.

Did Jessica Leave Voluntarily?

The initial missing-person alert described Jessica as a runaway missing child.

Her reported communications with family after leaving home may be consistent with a voluntary departure. However, those communications do not establish her intentions, circumstances, or safety.

No verified public account explains why Jessica left, whether she intended to return, or where she planned to go.

Was Another Person Involved?

It remains publicly unknown whether Jessica was traveling alone or staying with someone else.

There is no verified public identification of a suspect or person of interest in connection with her disappearance.

Any suggestion that a particular individual abducted, concealed, or harmed Jessica would therefore be speculative.

Why Did Communication Stop?

One of the central unresolved questions concerns the reported end of communication on August 25, 2023.

Jessica had reportedly exchanged messages with family members during the preceding days. Her refusal to disclose her location left relatives without a confirmed destination.

The available information does not explain why communication stopped.

It also does not establish whether her phone was lost, turned off, damaged, disconnected, or otherwise became unavailable.

Is There Evidence of Homicide?

No publicly verified evidence establishes that Jessica was murdered.

Her case should therefore continue to be described as a missing-person investigation rather than a confirmed homicide.

Although foul play cannot be ruled out solely from the limited public record, there is insufficient verified information to conclude that a crime caused her disappearance.

Latest Publicly Available Investigative Updates

October 2025: Jessica Remains Featured in State Missing-Children Awareness Materials

In October 2025, the California Department of Justice included Jessica Beatrice Quej-Caal in its statewide missing-children poster.

The poster continued to identify her as missing since August 25, 2023, and listed the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office as the agency to contact.

This publication demonstrated that Jessica’s case remained part of the state’s public missing-person awareness efforts more than two years after her disappearance.

However, the October 2025 poster was an awareness publication, not an announcement of newly discovered evidence or an investigative breakthrough.

October 2026: Current Public Case Status

As of October 28, 2026, Jessica remains listed in the California Department of Justice’s publicly accessible missing-person database.

The listing continues to identify August 25, 2023, as her last contact date and names the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office as the reporting agency.

A secondary missing-person awareness listing also associates Jessica with NamUs reference number 121321. That reference has not been independently confirmed against a directly accessible NamUs case record during this research.

No publicly confirmed recent investigative developments were located establishing that Jessica has been found or that her disappearance has been resolved.

Specifically, the available research did not identify a verified announcement of an arrest, criminal charges, newly identified remains, forensic breakthrough, or confirmed change in the circumstances of her disappearance.

The continued appearance of her information in public databases should not be confused with a new investigative development.

Conclusion: The Search for Jessica Beatrice Quej-Caal

More than three years have passed since Jessica Beatrice Quej-Caal disappeared from the Hayward area in August 2023.

She was only 16 years old when her family lost contact with her. The circumstances remain troubling because she reportedly communicated with relatives after leaving home but did not disclose where she was.

The last known communication on August 25, 2023, remains an important part of the publicly documented timeline.

Despite the initial sheriff’s office appeal and subsequent missing-person awareness efforts, the available public record does not establish what happened to Jessica or where she went.

Anyone who remembers seeing Jessica around the 21000 block of Meekland Avenue in August 2023, communicated with her during that period, or has credible information about her whereabouts is encouraged to contact the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office.

Information can be reported to the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office at (510) 667-3699 or to the California Department of Justice Missing Persons Clearinghouse at 1-800-222-3463.

Even information that appears minor could help investigators establish a more complete account of Jessica’s movements and circumstances.

Jessica’s disappearance remains a missing-person case, and her story deserves continued attention grounded in verified information, respect for her privacy, and concern for her well-being.