Social media helps identify lost boy in 7 minutes, cops say. He was 200 miles from home

A missing 13-year-old boy was found over 200 miles from his home, New Mexico police said.

The nonverbal teen was last seen at 4 a.m. Feb. 27 in his hometown of Tucson, Arizona, according to a Facebook post by New Mexico State Police.

“My mom woke up, and he was no longer in the house. The front door was unlocked, and he was just gone,” the boy’s brother, Mikel Desmond, told KRQE.

The family called police and in hopes of identifying him, officers posted a picture of him on Tucson police’s social media shortly before 7 a.m. Feb. 27, officials said.

Then, shortly after 9 p.m., New Mexico State Police shared a photo of a teen, seeking his identification on behalf of the Deming Police Department in New Mexico.

He was found at Walmart in Deming, officers said.

After seven minutes, someone recognized the boy from a Tucson police post, police said.

The boy had gone inside the Walmart to buy snacks but didn’t have any money, KRQE reported. He then hid in the bathroom until officers found him.

“In no way possible did we think he would be found in another city, let alone another state entirely,” the family said on Facebook.

Tucson police are investigating how the boy traveled the 200 miles, KRQE reported.

Deming is about 220 miles west of Tucson.

This story was originally published February 29, 2024 at 2:40 PM with the headline "Social media helps identify lost boy in 7 minutes, cops say. He was 200 miles from home."