In an urgent appeal to the community, the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office turned to social media to quickly and successfully locate the family of a non-verbal teenage girl found wandering in the streets. According to their Facebook post, the girl, who was seen walking in traffic near McDuff Avenue South and Park Street, is now safely reunited with her family.
The initial post provided a description of the teen: a 5’2” girl in a red shirt, purple and orange shorts, and flip-flops. Officers believed she may have a cognitive disability and were working to find her relatives. They did not know how long she had been separated from her family or where she lived. The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office asked the public "please to help share this post so we can reach someone who recognizes her!"
The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office used social media to assist in identifying the girl and locating her family. Their Facebook post emphasized the importance of residents staying observant and sharing information to assist individuals in need.
After the family was located, the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office posted a message of thanks: "Thank you to everyone who helped us spread the word💙."
