If you see this child, Adriel Thomas, reported missing in Deltona by his mother, please call 9-1-1.DELTONA -- A 12-year-old Deltona boy, who has a history of being a runaway has been missing since Tuesday evening, Volusia Conty Sheriff's officials said this afternoon.
Adriel Thomas had left a friend's house and was supposed to ride his bicycle three blocks back to his home. But about two hours later when Thomas had still not arrived home, his mother called the Sheriff's Office for help.
"Thomas has run away in the past, but never at night and he had never been gone for long," Sheriff's spokesman Gary Davidson said. "His mother said that Thomas had been upset recently because she had turned off his cell phone service."
Deputies responded to the boy's home, 665 Wing Terrace, after his mother had called at about 9:26 p.m. She said that Thomas had been at a friend's house in the 1100 block of Whitewood Drive and had left there to return home on his bike at about 7 p.m.
Deputies and a Sheriff's Office helicopter canvassed the area for several hours, to include all stores, parks and vacant homes. Missing person flyers were distributed and phone calls were made to residents in the area using the A Child is Missing service. A relative in Sanford was also contacted, but Thomas wasn't there, Haught said, adding deputies have continued their search today.
Thomas is described as 5 feet 5 and 215 pounds. He was last seen wearing a jean jacket, blue plaid shorts and a black backpack. He rode a black and gold 10-speed bicycle. Anyone who has information about his whereabouts is asked to call Deltona investigators at (386) 860-7030, or Sheriff's Office central dispatch at (386) 736-5999. If there is an emergency, call 911.