August 12, 2025

Parents of Missing Girl Criticize Law Enforcement Actions

News Summary

The Hollis family is critical of local law enforcement after a FOIA request revealed mishandling of their daughter Emily’s missing person case. Emily, 12, went missing and was found four days later in Florida with a teenager. The family claims police treated her as a runaway, delaying necessary actions. They received an extensive release of sensitive unredacted files, prompting the city to review data handling procedures. The incident shines a light on privacy concerns within public agencies and the challenges families face during such cases.

Beaufort, South Carolina – The parents of a missing girl, 12-year-old Emily Hollis, have expressed strong criticism toward local law enforcement following a significant error revealed by their Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. In February 2025, Emily went missing, prompting her family to claim that the Beaufort Police mishandled the investigation, labeling her as a runaway instead of taking immediate action.

Emily was located four days after her disappearance in Jacksonville, Florida, with a 16-year-old boy named Chase Eskeets. The Hollis family reported her missing on the morning of February 16, after being unable to contact her. They stated that Emily and Eskeets met on Snapchat just days before she vanished, accusing him of coercing her into sneaking away to Jacksonville. The family asserted they had never met Eskeets prior to Emily’s disappearance and felt the police response was inadequate.

As the investigation progressed, the Beaufort Police indicated that the case fell outside their jurisdiction and was instead handled by the Jacksonville Police Department. In an effort to gain clarity on their daughter’s case, the Hollis family submitted multiple FOIA requests for records related to the investigation.

The experience of searching for their daughter, according to the Hollis family, was compounded by what they called negligence from law enforcement. On July 29, they received approximately 9,000 unredacted files, totaling nearly 20,000 records, which included unrelated personal documents. Among the sensitive information were Emily’s full forensic interview and medical records, along with private details of other individuals and city data.

The City of Beaufort issued a press release acknowledging the inadvertent disclosure of the files and stated plans to review internal procedures to prevent future occurrences. City Manager Scott Marshall emphasized the quick action taken to remove access to the disclosed documents as soon as the mistake was identified. Assistant City Manager JJ Suave explained that the cause of the issue was a computer software error that resulted in the records being released in an unredacted format, as the redaction software had frozen during processing.

The Hollis family recorded a phone call with officials regarding the error and shared the interaction online. Suave noted that this FOIA request was one of the largest processed by the city, comprising over 9,000 emails and documents. As a result of the incident, the city has launched a new management platform for FOIA requests aimed at increasing data security and operational efficiency, although this upgrade was unrelated to the current issue.

To their knowledge, city officials confirmed that this was the first instance of an unredacted release occurring in their records management history, while also acknowledging similar issues reported by other users of the same redaction software. City officials are currently conducting a full assessment of the incident to evaluate any potential policy violations related to the error.

The Hollis family has declined an offer to replace the unredacted files with redacted versions, stating they plan to selectively share only relevant redacted information related to Emily’s case on social media. The case not only highlights the challenges families face when dealing with law enforcement during such crises but also raises significant concerns over data handling and privacy within public agencies.

Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic

HERE Resources

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Beaufort City Accidentally Reveals Sensitive Information
Beaufort City Accidentally Releases Confidential Information
Beaufort Hosts Free Legal Empowerment Class
Beaufort Police Department Faces Scrutiny Over Missing Girl Case
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Beaufort County Sheriff Locates Missing Man with Dementia
Missing Bluffton Man Found Safe
Mother of Missing Girl Questions Police Investigation
Community Urges Help in Search for Missing Girls in Beaufort County

Additional Resources

Author: STAFF HERE BEAUFORT

The HERE Beaufort Staff Writers are a collaborative team of journalists, editors, and local contributors passionate about delivering accurate, timely information to the Beaufort community. As part of the HEREcity.com Network, which powers over 100 U.S. city sites including HEREcolumbia.com, our staff draws on collective experience in South Carolina journalism to cover everything from business sales and real estate developments to dining deals and community initiatives. Our Expertise and Background: Local Roots in Beaufort : Our team includes lifelong Beaufort residents and SC natives with deep knowledge of the area’s history, economy, and culture. We’ve covered key events like the recent sale of the historic Crofts Block Building, Beaufort’s equestrian heritage, and growth in local tech and education sectors (e.g., BeaufortTechnical College programs). Collective Experience: With over 50 combined years in journalism, our staff has backgrounds in print, digital media, and community reporting. We prioritize fact-based stories, drawing from sources like the Beaufort Chamber of Commerce, city government records, and on-the-ground interviews. Commitment to Quality: Every article is a group effort, involving research, editing, and verification to ensure reliability. We adhere to journalistic standards, citing credible sources and updating content as new details emerge.

STAFF HERE BEAUFORT

The HERE Beaufort Staff Writers are a collaborative team of journalists, editors, and local contributors passionate about delivering accurate, timely information to the Beaufort community. As part of the HEREcity.com Network, which powers over 100 U.S. city sites including HEREcolumbia.com, our staff draws on collective experience in South Carolina journalism to cover everything from business sales and real estate developments to dining deals and community initiatives. Our Expertise and Background: Local Roots in Beaufort : Our team includes lifelong Beaufort residents and SC natives with deep knowledge of the area’s history, economy, and culture. We’ve covered key events like the recent sale of the historic Crofts Block Building, Beaufort’s equestrian heritage, and growth in local tech and education sectors (e.g., BeaufortTechnical College programs). Collective Experience: With over 50 combined years in journalism, our staff has backgrounds in print, digital media, and community reporting. We prioritize fact-based stories, drawing from sources like the Beaufort Chamber of Commerce, city government records, and on-the-ground interviews. Commitment to Quality: Every article is a group effort, involving research, editing, and verification to ensure reliability. We adhere to journalistic standards, citing credible sources and updating content as new details emerge.

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