A 10-year-old boy who had been reported missing has been located, according to an update from local deputies. Dwayne Varela had been the subject of a public alert that included his physical description and the clothes he was wearing.
The Sacramento Sheriff posted the update on Thursday, writing simply, “***UPDATE***Dwayne was located. Thank you for your help!!!” The brief post thanked the public for assisting in the search.
What the Original Alert Said
The earlier message describing Varela as missing was posted Thursday. That original alert described Varela as a 10-year-old child and labeled him at risk.
According to the alert, Varela stood about 4 feet 6 inches tall and weighed approximately 80 pounds. He was described as having black shoulder-length dreadlocks and brown eyes. Deputies said he was last seen wearing a yellow shirt with a bear on it, a black sweatshirt and beige pants, and that he was carrying a gray backpack.
Last Seen Walking in the Arden Area
Per the referenced message, Varela was last seen walking southbound on Topaz Way near Inge Court in the Arden area. The sheriff's office had asked anyone who spotted him to call its non-emergency line at 916-874-5115.
California does not require families to wait before reporting someone missing: the state Department of Justice says a missing person includes a child whose whereabouts are unknown, whether the child may have run away, been taken involuntarily or needs assistance. State law also requires law enforcement agencies to enter missing-person cases into a system used by authorized agencies. The California DOJ’s Missing and Unidentified Persons Section assists law enforcement in locating missing people.
The sheriff's office did not release further information about Varela's condition, who located him, or whether he had been reunited with family by the time the update was posted. No additional statement elaborating on the circumstances of his disappearance has been made public.
The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children assisted law enforcement, families and child-welfare advocates with 29,568 missing-child cases nationwide in 2024; 91% of the children in those cases were recovered safely, the federal Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention says. Those figures cover cases handled by the national center, not every missing-child report in the country. The federal program’s summary of the 2024 data provides national context for local searches.
A missing-child notice does not by itself establish that a case qualifies for a California AMBER Alert. The state plan requires confirmation of an abduction, a victim who is 17 or younger (or has a proven disability), reason to believe the child faces imminent danger of serious injury or death, and information that could help the public locate the child. California Highway Patrol’s alert criteria distinguish AMBER Alerts from other missing-person notices.
The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office has a Missing Persons Unit staffed by detectives, civilian employees and volunteers. The unit investigates reports involving people missing from unincorporated areas of the county and works with government agencies and nonprofit organizations to resolve cases, the office says. The Sheriff’s Office describes the unit’s role as helping reunite missing community members with family and friends.
For residents who want to reach the department directly, the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office lists 911 for emergencies, with the same 916-874-5115 line serving as its general non-emergency contact number.
