On Thursday, November 12th officers from the Starke County Sheriff’s Department were investigating a missing juvenile. An off-duty Sheriff’s Deputy located the female walking on Toto Road and called for an on duty officer to come and assist.
Officers approached the juvenile and determined that she was under the influence of alcohol and she was taken into custody to be transported to the Starke County Justice Center.
While on the way to the Justice Center, the juvenile was able to unsnap her seatbelt and exit the passenger door while the squad car was traveling at a slow rate of speed, the handcuffed female juvenile then fled into a heavily wooded area to the east of Cr 550 E.
Additional officers from the Starke County Sheriff’s and Knox City Police including both K-9 units arrived on scene and began to search the area. Pulaski County sent an additional K-9 unit as well as several officers. Due to the strong winds the K-9’s were unable to detect a scent from the female juvenile.
After an intensive hour and a half search the officers widened the search perimeter and a deputy using a Thermal Imaging Camera spotted someone running near his location approximately 1 ½ mile east of where the female juvenile fled. Officers responded to the location and using the Thermal Imaging Camera located the female juvenile.
Once back into custody the female juvenile was transported to IU Health Starke Hospital where she was treated and then released to a juvenile treatment facility.
The Starke County Sheriff’s Office was assisted in the search by Knox City Police, Knox Fire, Starke County Community Corrections, Indiana Conservation Unit, Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office.
