CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A 16-year-old who went missing from the Monarch SECU Youth Crisis Center near UNC Charlotte on Monday was found, his family told WCNC Charlotte.
The Raleigh family made multiple trips back and forth to Charlotte searching for him until police located him on Friday.
“Instead of coming to pick him up Tuesday, I came to look for him," Rich LaBrosse, the teen's stepfather, said. "We were promised that they would care for him, protect him, and return him to us in better shape than when they got him and now, he’s gone, he's gone. All we want is our kid home."
The family was told the teen hopped the fence and ran away from the facility – one day before he was to be picked up.
Monarch released the following statement about the incident: “Immediately following [the teen's] elopement, staff followed emergency response procedures and contacted law enforcement and notified family.” They continued to say, “Monarch’s highest priority at this time is the safety of the person and we will continue to work with law enforcement and the family in the ongoing search.”
The family told WCNC Charlotte's Anna King they rushed down Tuesday to start searching and found his sweatshirt in the woods, just a few feet from the facility.
“That’s not a thought you want to have as a parent. Is my kid in the hospital somewhere hurt?” LaBrosse continued.
Contact Anna King at aking2@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, X, and Instagram.