Illinois State Police assisted Dupo police in locating a missing teen on Tuesday afternoon.

At about 3:40 p.m., an ISP trooper was flagged down by a motorist on I-255 near Dupo. The motorist advised he was worried about the well-being of his teenage child because the child had not returned home from school, an ISP press release stated.

The motorist further advised that he was also receiving concerning texts from his child. An approximate location of the teenager was determined and additional troopers and officers with the Dupo Police Department responded to the area to begin searching for the troubled teen.  

In addition to officers on the ground, officers with the ISP Air Operations Command responded to the area and began a search from the air. Using an infrared system, officers in the airplane were able to locate the teenager in a wooded area. The officers in the air were able to guide ground units to the location of the teenager. Less than two hours after he was reported missing, the teenager was safely reunited with family members.

“Teamwork is what quickly and safely resolved this situation and I would like to thank the Dupo Police Department for their assistance,” stated Colonel Tad Williams, ISP Division of Operations Deputy Director.  “This is just one example of the great work police officers perform on a daily basis.  This also serves as an example of the importance for investing in different technologies for use in law enforcement. Without the assistance of the airplane and the forward looking infrared system, it may have taken much longer to resolve this situation.”