Family of Missing 20-Year-Old from Manchester Receives Suspicious Text After Pride Event; No Further Contact

The family of a missing 20-year-old man, Kaileb Power, has expressed deep concern for his wellbeing after receiving a suspicious text message sent hours after he was last seen.

According to his sister Kirah, 25, Kaileb was last spotted late on Saturday night leaving his home in Wythenshawe.

Since then, there has been no direct contact with Kaileb, except for a concerning text message that was sent from his phone to their mother’s mobile at 2 p.m. on Sunday, about 14 hours after he left home.

The message, shared with the Manchester Evening News, reads: “Hi, is this [their mother’s name]? I’ve got you, Kaileb. His safe. He went to Pride last night, and I’m bringing him home soon. He said he has worked and is crying his eyes out, bringing back quickly.”

Kirah noted that Kaileb’s phone was active until around 4 p.m. on Sunday but has since gone straight to voicemail. The family reported the situation to Greater Manchester Police, now investigating the case.

Kirah revealed that Kaileb, whom she described as vulnerable, was last active on the Telegram messaging service just before 1 a.m. on Sunday.

She mentioned that although Kaileb had not attended Manchester Pride before, he might have travelled into the city for this year’s celebrations. Kaileb is described as having dyed blue hair, standing around 5ft 7ins tall, and likely wearing navy blue Vans trainers and a black jacket.

In a post on her Facebook page, Kirah pleaded for help, stating, “My brother has been missing since Saturday night, with no contact other than a suspicious message at 2 p.m. yesterday. If you attend Manchester Pride today, please keep an eye out for him. Please call the police or message me if you have any information.”

Speaking on Monday afternoon, nearly 48 hours after Kaileb’s disappearance, Kirah said she was distributing flyers with his photograph in Manchester’s Village area. She expressed her growing fear, saying, “I am terrified now. At first, we thought he was drunk and being stupid, but this is completely out of character.”

Kirah explained that Kaileb, a supermarket worker, had come home from work on Saturday night around 10:20 p.m. He had some food and went to his bedroom. Around midnight, her sister heard the side gate open, assuming Kaileb had gone for a cigarette. The family heard nothing more until the suspicious text message arrived at 2 p.m. on Sunday.

She added that Kaileb was due at work around the same time, but his phone has since gone unanswered and straight to voicemail.

“This is out of character,” Kirah said. “He has not been active on any of his social media channels. The family is increasingly worried about his safety.” Kaileb was reported missing to the police at 6 p.m. on Sunday.

Kirah mentioned that although Kaileb is single, he had recently been communicating with someone online. The police checked her and her mother’s houses, and the family distributed flyers in Manchester.

Kaileb’s sister also noted that he has no money, identification, or access to his bank account, as he does not possess a driving license or passport. The police are expected to follow up on the investigation soon.

Kirah appealed for anyone with information to contact her or the police. “We do not know anything about who sent this message, but it was from his phone,” she said. “He’s a lovely kid, but he’s vulnerable.”

The *Manchester Evening News* has contacted Greater Manchester Police for further comment.