Missing 15-year-old Pierce Crowley was found by an NYPD officer, walking with a group of youths in Washington Heights, Manhattan. The White Plains teen is now at home with his family “healthy and safe”.
His mother, Gretchen, told 1010 WINS her son is tired but in good condition.
Police lieutenant Eric Fischer recognized Crowley from the flyers that his parents and hundreds of volunteers had been distributing since the child went missing last Friday.
The police officer, from the 34th precinct, spotted him walking with a number of youths in the Washington Heights area in upper Manhattan. He immediately contacted the White Plains police officers, who were also searching in the area.
Fischer immediately took Crowley to his parents. He told the Journal News that Peter and Gretchen Crowley “were very happy to have him home.”
Crowley went missing last Friday after he left New York Hospital with his friend. He was last seen at the White Plains Metro North train station.
Luckily, six days later he has been returned to his family.
Fischer said the teen had little to say about why he ran away, what he had been doing, or if he was aware that hundreds of people had been searching for him. However, most of upper Manhattan, including Washington Heights, had been plastered with missing flyers and his photograph.
The officer said “He was brief in his explanations of what happened...He was clean and healthy and is now safely home with his family. That was our goal from the beginning.”
Dan Schorr, associate managing director of Kroll Associates, the investigation firm hired by the Crowley family, said “The Crowley family is extremely relieved that the son they love so much is back home, health and safe.”
He commended the local police who having received tips that Crowley was spotted in the Washington Heights area had moved their search to the area had began distributing flyers.
Schorr said they “did a phenomenal job in finding Pierce. They’re a stellar department and they’ve proven it once again here. The media coverage and the public’s attention was also extremely helpful.”
White Plains Police Commissioner David Chong explained that Fischer had a flyer in his pocket when he spotted Crowley.
“We had been in contact with the precincts in Washington Heights and dropped off fliers,” he said. “When this officer stopped the kids to find out what they were up to, he recognized Pierce. We had teams searching in the area, so we were able to meet up with them very quickly, confirm that it was Pierce, and get him home. Our detectives were tenacious — they worked hard on this from the beginning. We’re very glad that he was found safe and that he’s home with his family.”
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