A 33-year-old Hastings man with autism and schizophrenia was found safe Thursday afternoon following reports that he had walked away from his home on foot. Steven Croce was last seen leaving his residence off Flikkema Avenue around 11:30 a.m. wearing orange shorts, and he was later found unharmed.
Croce was reported missing, according to a report, prompting a search by the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office before he was found safe. Search alerts were issued before Croce was found safe.
A Search in St. Johns County
Another St. Johns County search involved 16-year-old Benjamin Adcock. On September 12, the Sheriff's Office launched a multi-agency search for him, as reported by Action News Jax. Hoodline covered that search in a prior report on the teen's disappearance.
The searches described above show how quickly local deputies may need to respond to reports involving neurodivergent residents. Research published in Pediatrics and cited by the National Autism Association indicates that nearly half of all children and youth on the autism spectrum attempt to wander or elope from safe environments.
How Florida's Purple Alert System Works
Florida also has a Spectrum Alert system for missing children under 18 with autism spectrum disorder, according to the Florida Senate.
The state's Spectrum Alert system applies to missing children with autism spectrum disorder.
Local Tools Behind the Search
The St. Johns County Sheriff's Office is among the local agencies involved in missing-person searches.
The Sheriff's Office also uses social media to share public updates. Croce's case involved a missing-person search.
