Police locate missing 18-year-old Bristol County intellectually disabled teen

Police located an 18-year-old run-away in Norton.

On Monday, the Norton Police Department responded to the area of 31 Shelly Road for a report of a male resident who had run into the woods. The property at 31 Shelly Road is owned and operated by the Judge Rotenberg Educational Center.

The individual, identified as an 18-year-old male with autism, had entered the wooded area near Shelly Road and Oak Street, and staff members from the center were unable to locate him.

With the assistance of the METRO Law Enforcement Council’s K-9 Unit, Drone Unit, the Massachusetts State Police K-9 Unit, Air Wing, Mansfield Police Department, and SEMRECC, the Norton Police coordinated a systematic search of the area, including the heavily wooded regions surrounding Oak Street and Shelly Road. The Reverse 911 system was activated, and social media updates were issued to keep local residents informed.

At approximately 11:45 a.m., a concerned neighbor on Oak Street called 911 to report seeing a male matching the description along the wood line behind their property. Norton Police and Norton Fire Rescue responded to the scene and located the individual, who was safe. He was transported to Sturdy Memorial Hospital as a precaution.

The Norton Police Department extends its sincere thanks to the residents of Norton for their support and vigilance. We are grateful for the positive outcome.