Teen missing after texting friends that she was being followed, never made it to 1st day of school

MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WTXF) -- - Family and friends are searching for a 16-year-old girl who reportedly went missing on August 20 after visiting a Chick-fil-A in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

Marley McKenna Spindler was due to start her first day of junior year at Socastee High School, but never made it according to Daily Mail.

Reports say that Spindler was last seen around 7:30 a.m. leaving a Chick-fil-A on Highway 544 in Surfside Beach.

WBTW reports that her friends last heard from her at 8:42 a.m. when she engaged in a group text message session with them.

While texting, she allegedly told her friends that she was being followed, but they say they thought she was joking.

Spindler's aunt, Shelley Long, said that the other teenagers call police just in case the 16-year-old was skipping school, Daily Mail reports.

In addition, Spindler was reportedly seen driving along Ocean Boulevard and stopping to withdraw money from her account at a bank. Less than $100 was withdrawn, according to Lieutenant Raul Denis from the Horry County Police Department.

She was allegedly driving a 2002 silver Ford Escape with South Carolina tag KFI-776. The vehicle has also gone missing.

Spindler goes by the name McKenna according to Daily Mail. She is 5'8", weighs 100 pounds, with long light brown hair and hazel eyes.

She was last seen wearing blue jeans, a white flowery tank top, gold sandals, a cross-body purse, and carrying a Vera Bradley book bag and lunchbox, according to a missing person's flyer.

According to police, a 22-year-old man who was an original person of interest in the case and identified only as Jeremy was cleared. He was reportedly with Spindler.

Police believe that the teenager was most likely alone and no evidence of foul play has been uncovered as of yet.

"We just want Marley back home,"said the missing teen's aunt, via WBTW, "And I just want her to know that if she's able to see this news, your momma and daddy and family love you so much, and we just want you back home safely, baby."

"We can't rule out that she was abducted, but we also have to face that maybe she ran away. We just don't know," Long told Dateline NBC.

"She's 16, she's very young and maybe she didn't intend to get in a bad situation, but may find herself in one now,' said the distressed aunt. 'If you see this we don't care what you've done and you aren't in trouble. We just want you home safe."

Anyone with information on Spindler's disappearance is encouraged to call the Horry County Police Department or call the Tip Line at 843-915-8477 (843-915-TIPS).

Her family has also launched a Facebook page for more information.