by JENN WOOD
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Sometime around 3:00 a.m. EDT on September 6, 2026, 16-year-old Rhonda “Lilly” Bennett disappeared from her family’s home in Wagener, South Carolina.
According to investigators, Lilly left behind a note indicating she had “a lot going on” and needed to leave for a while to figure things out. She reportedly indicated her intention to travel to her grandmother’s home in Rock Hill, S.C. — roughly 80 miles away — but her family said she had no method of transportation to get there.
Lilly never arrived at her grandmother’s home…
More than three weeks later, Lilly remains missing – which has prompted her family, friends and concerned citizens to issue multiple public pleas seeking her safe return. Meanwhile, reports of possible sightings of Lilly have expanded the search for her well beyond the small Aiken County town where she was last seen.
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GONE BEFORE DAYBREAK…
According to the Aiken County Sheriff’s Office (ACSO), Lilly was last seen at her mother’s home in Wagener during the early morning hours of September 6. Authorities have placed the time of her departure at approximately 2:55 a.m. EDT.
The circumstances surrounding her disappearance raised an obvious question: how was a 16-year-old without transportation planning to travel from Wagener to Rock Hill?
That question has become increasingly important as the search for Lilly has widened.
In the days following Lilly’s disappearance, reports began to circulate that she may have been seen outside of Aiken County.
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The Cayce Police Department (CPD) shared information about Lilly as the search expanded into the Midlands. According to reporting by The (Columbia, S.C.) State newspaper, a social media page established to help locate Lilly reported a possible sighting of her walking dogs in West Columbia.
The same page also reported a possible sighting much farther away — in Lumberton, North Carolina.
Another report subsequently placed an individual matching Lilly’s description in Dillon County, per The Dillon County News.
Those reports are significant because they potentially trace a path eastward across the Carolinas, but there is an important distinction: none of the sightings have been confirmed by law enforcement.
That uncertainty leaves investigators and Lilly’s family with a difficult problem: if any of the rumored sightings are legitimate, Lilly may have traveled a considerable distance from Wagener. If they are not, where did she go after leaving home?
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“I JUST WANT TO TOUCH HER”
As the days (and now weeks) have passed without contact, Lilly’s disappearance has become something more than a runaway report for the family waiting for her.
Her mother has publicly pleaded for her daughter to come home, saying she wants Lilly to know she is loved and that whatever caused her to leave can be worked through.
Her mother’s request is simple: “I just want to touch her.”
“She’s beautiful. She’s smart. She’s funny. She’ll make you laugh even when you want to cry,” Jamie Pope told WJBF TV-6 (ABC – Augusta, Georgia).
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While Lilly is classified as a runaway, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) is maintaining an active missing child poster for her – listing Lilly as missing from Wagener since September 6 and identifying ACSO as the lead investigating agency.
Authorities have made no mention of foul play, nor has there been any suggestion at this point that Lilly was abducted – or that another person was responsible for her disappearance. For now, investigators are searching for a teenager who reportedly left home voluntarily — but who has been gone for weeks without reaching the family members she apparently intended to visit.
For Lilly’s mother, those distinctions do little to lessen the uncertainty. Whatever prompted her daughter to leave, she wants her to know there is still a home waiting for her to come back to.
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THE SEARCH CONTINUES…
As of October 1, 2026, Lilly remains missing. She is described as standing approximately 5-foot-4 and weighing 110 pounds, with blue eyes and hair dyed black with blonde underneath. She was reportedly last seen wearing black sweatpants and a black hoodie.
More than three weeks later, her family is still waiting for answers…
Anyone who has seen Rhonda “Lilly” Bennett or has information that could help investigators determine her whereabouts is urged to contact the Aiken County Sheriff’s Office at 803-642-1761 or call 911. Tips can also be provided to the NCMEC at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678).
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …
As a private investigator turned journalist, Jenn Wood brings a unique skill set to FITSNews as its research director. Known for her meticulous sourcing and victim-centered approach, she helps shape the newsroom’s most complex investigative stories while producing the FITSFiles and Cheer Incorporated podcasts. Jenn lives in South Carolina with her family, where her work continues to spotlight truth, accountability, and justice.
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