Florida Mom Learns Live on Air That Missing 16-Year-Old Son Was Found Alive

On Sept. 15, Olga Adcock stood beside St. Johns County Sheriff Robert A. Hardwick during a televised press briefing when a voice from the audience announced the news every parent hopes to hear: her missing son had been found.

Sheriff Hardwick had been making a public appeal to locate 16-year-old Benjamin Adcock when someone off-camera interjected, "They found him." The sheriff immediately turned and embraced Olga as the crowd and cameras registered the emotional reunion.

Press conference for Benjamin AdcockCredit: St. Johns County Sheriff's Office/Facebook

Benjamin, who has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and mild autism, had been missing for nearly 48 hours before he was located. "Praise the Lord on my soul," Olga said as she hugged the sheriff. "There is light at the end of the tunnel. God is good. God is good." Microphones captured part of the private conversation that followed, during which Hardwick told Olga the department would help the family obtain tracking assistance and cover the cost.

"It makes you want to cry... that's the best outcome that could actually happen right now," Hardwick said in a statement following the briefing.

After Benjamin was reported missing, the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office mobilized multiple resources: foot teams, K9 units, drones and helicopters, and support from a volunteer civilian search group. The case was ultimately resolved when a vigilant good Samaritan recognized Benjamin from photos shared on social media and led him to authorities.

Benjamin AdcockCredit: St. Johns County Sheriff's Office/Facebook

Resources And Programs

The sheriff's office highlighted several programs to help families of people prone to wandering:

• Project Lifesaver: Wrist or ankle transmitters that emit a signal tracked by the sheriff’s office.
• K9 Scent Kits: Personal items that preserve a person’s scent so K9 teams can track them if needed.
• SAFE Program: Stickers for homes or vehicles that help first responders communicate with residents who have special needs.

Sheriff Hardwick praised the citizen who called authorities: "This is a citizen, paying attention, not afraid to call the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office and bringing a 16-year-old boy home to his mom, Olga." The reunion underscores how community vigilance, coordinated search efforts and available tracking resources can lead to positive outcomes for vulnerable individuals and their families.

Source: St. Johns County Sheriff's Office; reported Sept. 15.