On Sunday, April 27, 2008 a local mother woke up to find a note from her 15yoa daughter stating that she had run away with her boyfriend that she had met on the internet. According to the deputy, the runaway was picked up at her residence in SE Gilchrist County between 3:45AM and 6:30AM. According to friends and family members the young girl had been told that her internet boyfriend was 17 yoa and had moved from Texas to Georgia just recently.

Bolo's were sent out for the missing juvenile and yet unnamed suspect and vehicle. Through numerous phone calls and other investigative leads the young girl was located in a motel in the panhandle of Florida but the suspect had fled the area prior to the local police departments arrival. The suspect (yet to be found or positively identified) was verbally identified as a 28 yoa male from Louisiana.

Thanks to the corroboration between the family and several law enforcement agencies the young girl, unharmed, was reunited with her mother by 10:30PM.

Sheriff Turner advised that they were fortunate in having a good outcome but that in many cases around the nation circumstances do not always turn out good. Parents need to communicate with their children and warn them of the potential danger and deceitfulness that occurs via the internet. Below is a list of items to help prevent your children from falling prey.

• Keep your computer in a common room, not in a bedroom.
• Take advantage of parental controls.
• Use of chat rooms should be monitored.
• Maintain access to your child's on-line account.
• Teach your child the responsible use of on-line resources.
• Instruct your child to never arrange face-to-face meetings.
• Never upload pictures of themselves onto the internet.
• Never give out identifying information.