A special-needs teen who ran away on October 3 was found safe after Aurora officers teamed up with a caregiver using a GPS tracking device to narrow down his location. The device, called AngelSense, fed officers real-time updates as the teen moved through yards and over fences, giving police the edge they needed to bring him home.
How the Search Unfolded
According to the Aurora Police Dept
, officers partnered with a caregiver who was operating the teen's AngelSense device after he ran away. AngelSense is described by police as a GPS safety device for at-risk children, and it is typically operated by a family member or caregiver who can share location updates with officers when a loved one goes missing. In this case, the department says the device provided real-time location updates that helped officers narrow the search area and ultimately locate the teen.
Once officers caught up with him, the situation wasn't immediately resolved. The department's account says officers worked to de-escalate the situation for several minutes as the teen moved through multiple yards and climbed over fences, a tense stretch that required patience as much as technology.
Medical Crews Called In
During that time, the teen told officers he was having trouble breathing, and officers requested medical crews immediately, per the same account. Aurora Fire Rescue responded and provided care to the teen, who was then taken to a local hospital for further evaluation.
The police department publicly thanked the caregiver for quickly using AngelSense to help officers locate the teen, and separately thanked Aurora Fire Rescue and hospital staff for helping ensure he received care. The post framed the outcome as a case of technology and teamwork working together to bring the teen home.
How the Technology Works
AngelSense's own marketing describes the system as letting caregivers track a loved one's live location and share it with first responders by SMS or email, according to angelsense.com. The company says the system can also send wandering alerts when a loved one leaves an expected location, and includes a device alarm meant to help caregivers find someone who may be hiding nearby. For situations where GPS or cellular signals are limited, the company says its Indoor Search feature uses available Wi-Fi signals to provide additional location information.
Wandering incidents involving people with disabilities or cognitive conditions are a recognized concern for Colorado law enforcement more broadly. The Colorado Bureau of Investigation maintains resources describing telemetry-based tracking systems used to locate people with Alzheimer's who wander as well as special-needs children. The agency's general guidance for such cases is straightforward: call 911 and report a vulnerable person missing as the first step.
