Missing Raynham teen Colleen Weaver found safe in New York City
RAYNHAM - Missing Raynham teen Colleen Weaver was found safe in New York City late Thursday night. The 16-year-old was first reported missing after she left her home nine days ago.
According to Raynham Police, she was located around 11 p.m. "with the assistance of the New York City Police Department and the FBI."
Police would only say she was found "through investigative means."
"We are so relieved to have Colleen back," her father Casey Weaver wrote on Facebook Friday morning. "All of you have a deep place in our hearts. Words can't describe how much we love you all.. so many people to thank up front and behind the scenes."
The family later issued a joint statement, saying they were "relieved beyond belief" that she is safe.
"We respectfully ask for privacy at this time so we can focus on Colleen," they wrote.
"We are very glad to have found Colleen," Raynham Police Chief James Donovan said in a statement early Friday. "This was the best possible outcome we could have hoped for and I want to commend the tireless efforts of our dedicated officers and our partners in the NYPD and FBI who helped to locate her. This has been a trying couple of weeks for everybody involved and I want to thank everyone who assisted in this tremendous effort."
"Anytime a child is reported missing, a sophisticated law enforcement system is set into motion, and it's all hands-on deck because every minute counts until that child is safely recovered. We are incredibly grateful we were able to assist our law enforcement partners in locating Colleen Weaver and ensuring her safe return to her family," Joe Bonavolonta, the Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Boston office, said in a statement Friday.
Earlier on Thursday night, the community gathered for a candlelight vigil in Raynham, praying for Colleen's safe return.
Colleen's mother said she went missing between 1 and 4 a.m. on Tuesday, October 18.
"We just smiled at each other, did a little wave," Kristen Weaver said. "She was half asleep. She just went into her room and that was it."
During the investigation, police had said they believed she left with someone and was 100 miles away from Raynham.
No other information is available at this point in the investigation.