Teen Runaway Cases Increasing In Douglas County
HIGHLANDS RANCH, Colo. - (CBS4) There's been a dramatic increase recently in the number of teen runaways in Douglas County. A number of teens are being lured from home through social media sites.
The sheriff's office has a new procedure for addressing the problem. Det. Christine Brite pursues Douglas County runaways full time. She now works with an extensive runaway database and surfs the Internet looking for clues.
She said many times the teens are being lured away on Facebook and Twitter. Often times they are lured by predators promising drugs or parties.
"It could be someone in a different state luring these kids out, making them a victim of sex crimes or something worse. The kid will sneak out of the house and get into a car with someone they've only known online for a day or a few hours and they're gone," Brite said.
Last year there were 157 reported runaways in the county. Authorities believe the actual number is more than 300. The figure may seem surprising considering Douglas County is considered one of the most affluent counties in the country.
"People often think 'Highlands Ranch, Douglas County, it doesn't happen here,'" Brite said.
A woman named Sarah told CBS4 her 17-year-old daughter has run away several times since she was 15 and she's gone missing once again. She's currently been away from home since last week.
Sarah says when her daughter goes missing she lies awake at night wondering if she's hearing the garage door opening.
When Sarah's daughter was 15 her parents found her in a motel with several 18-year-olds she had met through the Internet.
"There were a lot of drugs. I don't know what else went on," Sarah said.
Sarah is now working with the sheriff's department. She's hoping the additional help will bring her daughter back home to stay.
"It's cold outside. I hope she's somewhere safe. I hope nothing has happened to her," Sarah said.
The sheriff's office says the goal of their efforts is to cut the number of runaways at least by half. They are working closely with the Juvenile Assessment Center in Centennial as part of the program. The free center connects runaways and their families to counseling services.
