News Release from: Clackamas Co. Sheriff's Office

Fourteen-year-old Clackamas County runaway located safe at Chicago's O'Hare Airport

Posted: Oct. 4, 2009 5:41 p.m.

CCSO CASE # 09-30491

The Clackamas County Sheriff's Office conducting a runaway juvenile investigation involving a 14-year-old male who resides in the Canby area of Clackamas County.

On Saturday, Oct. 3, at 9:31 a.m., a custodial parent contacted the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office to report a 14-year-old runaway juvenile.

This juvenile was entered into the law-enforcement data system as a runaway juvenile. The parent reporting the incident also told the Sheriff's Office that the runaway juvenile has been challenged with some mental-health issues related to some form of Asperger's Syndrome.

During the course of Saturday, the mother received commendable assistance from AT&T, her cell-phone provider: AT&T was able to electronically identify the precise location of this runaway by tracking the cell phone in the youth's possession.

This electronic tracking revealed that the phone was in the vicinity of O'Hare Airport in Chicago.

All of this was accomplished with the generous assistance of an AT&T representative who assisted the parent of the missing youth by graciously activiating and using the "AT&T Family Map" tracking service. This critical information, provided by AT&T, directly led to this youth being located over 2,000 miles from his home.

Clackamas County Sheriff's Deputy Bill Terway promptly alerted the O'Hare Airport/Chicago Police. As a result, Chicago Police located the runaway youth wandering in the baggage claim area of O'Hare Airport on Saturday afternoon at approximately 4 p.m. (PST).

Deputy Terway said, "I was in communication with Chicago Police investigator Joe Stinson -- who did a great job -- and helped to insure the safe departure and return of the youth back to Portland."

The mother relayed to the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office that her son had been located, was in custody, and that arrangements were being coordinated with United Airlines to return the youth on a direct flight to Portland International Airport (PDX) later in the evening. The youth was returned safely to his awaiting family Saturday evening at 10:54 p.m.

United Airlines reportedly issued a complimentary ticket for the youth, ensuring his return flight to Portland.

Deputy Terway also states he interviewed this youth at his home Sunday afternoon (Oct. 4) and discovered the following: The 14-year-old had utilized his mother's credit-card information to purchase an airport shuttle service ride to PDX early Saturday morning. He is reportedly also responsible for using the same credit-card information to electronically purchase an airline ticket for his flight to Chicago.

It is also believed this young man has recently been text-messaging a female friend of the same age who resides in the Chicago area. That may be the sole motivation for this youngster to have embarked on his venture to Chicago.

No determination has been made if this case will be forwarded to Clackamas County Juvenile Court authorities.

CCSO CASE # 09-30491

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Jim Strovink, Detective
Public Information Officer
Clackamas County Sheriff's Office