Deputies with the Cherokee Sheriff’s Office responded to a call of a missing 13 year old juvenile.  Subsequent investigation by the Sheriff’s Office determined that the case was one of a runaway and not an incident of abduction or one of an exploited child.

Unfortunately, in the hours and days following the report of the incident, a mass email was distributed throughout the county regarding this juvenile.  The email continues to circulate after the child returned home and the Cherokee Sheriff’s Office continued to field numerous inquiries from concerned citizens about the incident.

The Cherokee Sheriff’s Office would like to communicate to the public that the juvenile returned home less than ten hours after she was reported missing by her parent.  Although many citizens seem to have been led to believe that this child was abducted, this is not the case.  The child left home on her own volition and was never deemed to be an abducted or an endangered child.

Although email is a valuable communication tool, it is not always entirely accurate.  In cases of abducted children, the Cherokee Sheriff’s Office immediately takes action through proper channels, such as utilization of the “Levi’s Call / Amber Alert” as well as “A Child is Missing” automated phone system to notify the public through the local media outlets to solicit public assistance in locating the child.  Even in cases which do not meet the requirements for a Levi’s Call, the Sheriff’s Office often utilizes the local and metro media outlets to solicit assistance and generate leads to locate an endangered child. 

The Sheriff’s Office would like to remind the public that on occasion they may receive automated telephone calls with the description of a missing child. These legitimate telephone calls will provide the public with a description of the child as well as a telephone number to call if the child is seen.

It is the hope of the Sheriff’s Office that the public will continue to take seriously all formal requests for assistance through the media and whenever a Levi’s Call / Amber Alert is utilized.