A missing 16-year-old with autism was found safe in St. Augustine Tuesday, Sept. 15, after a good Samaritan recognized him and called St. Johns County deputies.

Teen missing since Sunday morning

Benjamin Adcock had been gone nearly two days. The sheriff's office had activated Florida's new Spectrum Alert, a statewide notification tool for missing children with autism spectrum disorder that took effect July 1. The same system covers Ponte Vedra Beach and Nocatee families through the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office.

Adcock walked away from his home near Whispering Woods Lane in St. Augustine Sunday, Sept. 13, according to News4Jax. His family said he has autism and schizophrenia. He had wandered before, but this was the first time he stayed gone overnight.

Citizen's tip led deputies to the teen

A citizen spotted Adcock from social media photos, brought him inside and called deputies, the NCBeat reported. He was found less than a mile from the deputies' command post and about two miles from where he was last seen, according to Action News Jax.

Officials said he was in good health.

News conference interrupted by word he's safe

The recovery interrupted a live news conference. St. Johns County Sheriff Robert Hardwick had just begun briefing reporters Tuesday morning with Adcock's mother, Olga Adcock, beside him when an officer off camera relayed that the teen had been located, WSVN reported. Hardwick turned and pulled the mother into a hug.

"This is a citizen paying attention, not afraid to call," Hardwick said, crediting the person who found Benjamin.

The night before the news conference, Olga Adcock told reporters she had not slept during the search. She said the thought of her son outside alone terrified her. When word arrived Tuesday that Benjamin was safe, she responded: "Praise the Lord. Oh, my soul."

How the Spectrum Alert system works

The Spectrum Alert was signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2025. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement's Missing Persons and Offender Enforcement Division administers the program. Alerts go out through the agency's Missing Endangered Persons Information Clearinghouse, known as MEPIC, by text and email to residents who have signed up. They can also appear on highway message signs.

Five criteria required to trigger an alert

To activate an alert, five criteria must be met: the child must be under 18, law enforcement must reasonably believe the child has autism spectrum disorder, officers must believe the child faces danger of death or serious injury, a detailed description or photo must be available, and the local agency must recommend activation.

Wandering risk higher for autistic children

Children with autism wander from safe environments at higher rates than their peers and are often drawn to bodies of water, according to FDLE operational guidelines. That risk is heightened in Florida because of the state's waterways.

How residents can sign up for alerts

St. Johns County residents can sign up for Spectrum Alerts by text or email through FDLE's MEPIC page or by calling 1-888-356-4774.