A St. Johns County news conference took a turn nobody saw coming Monday. Sheriff Robert Hardwick was addressing reporters about 16-year-old Benjamin Adcock, missing since Saturday, when someone off camera said, “They found him.” The sheriff hugged Benjamin’s mother on live television as she praised God. After nearly 48 hours of searching with K-9 units, drones, and helicopters, the search was simply over.
Benjamin, who has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and mild autism, was located after a good Samaritan recognized his photo on social media and reported it. The sheriff’s office says he is healthy and safe. Investigators are still working to determine where he was during those two days.
For families across the Suncoast, the takeaway is a hopeful one: social media sharing works. That one post reached the right person at the right time. If you’ve ever wondered whether hitting share actually matters, this is your answer. Have you ever helped locate someone through a shared post? Tell us in the comments.
