Missing teen found safe –but questions remain

Last week the community of Fairland rallied together to help find a missing teen.

Luckily, the young man was found unharmed after a three-day search by countless people and organisations who became increasingly worried as the days passed.

Below is a behind-the-scenes look at what transpired during the search.

It also gives an overview of what happens when a teenager, or other people, goes missing in this blow-by-blow account from the Vulnerable Citizens Support Initiative (VCSI).

The Northcliff Melville Times will not publish details pertaining to this particular boy, why the boy left home, or the circumstances relating to him being found, but will rather focus on how role players worked together to locate him.

Fairland CPFs Mahmood Cassim works with their victim support unit and the VCSI said, “We cannot quantify the hours and resources that go into each case as there is a virtual army of people working in cohesion behind the scenes.”

The boy was reported missing on Sunday afternoon. Quickly a case docket was opened, and an OB (occurance book) number was allocated. This is needed for groups like VCIS to create a missing person poster and activate themselves to search for the individual.

A flyer is created that contained relevant information to the case including who to contact if a member of the public saw him and included two photographs of the boy.

“The flyer is shared with the family and the investigating officer (IO) for verification and confirmation of all facts before it is published. This consent is needed to satisfy the POPI Act, without which we are not authorised to publish.”

This was done firstly to a smaller group of 10 000 people via social media and in community WhatsApp groups.

“We had two hours of daylight left before darkness would make searching for the boy much harder.”

Cassim said the two major security companies in the area, Beagle Watch and SCP were put on alert to be on the lookout, as were neighbouring precincts, and all CPF patrollers.

“We allocated different areas to search to different teams and the areas of Fairland, Berario, Northcliff, Blackheath and Windsor were initially searched. “This included looking in parks, open fields, food outlets, filling stations, shopping centres and main arterial roads including Beyers Naudé, 14th Avenue and Pendoring Road,” he said.

Unfortunately, no sighting was made and as night fell concerns grew for his well-being.

“We knew he had no cash, ID or phone on him.”

The search area was widened and included the surrounding suburbs of East Town, Albertville, Alberskroon, all of the Northcliff extensions, Blackheath, Berario, Windsor East, Windsor West, Randburg, Claremont, Montclare, Delarey, Newlands, Kathrada Park, Newclare, Coronationville, Brixton, Linden, Emmarentia, Montgomery Park and Roosevelt Park.

Linden police by Monday morning were also actively involved in the search as were the Brixton and Honeydew CPFs.

“We enlisted the help of street cleaners, known drug addicts, car guards, shop owners, tow-truck operators, vagrants. Anyone and everyone whom we believed could help was spoken to and shown his missing person’s flyer. These were also put up at many venues for public awareness.”

Beagle Watch printed pamphlets which were given to their reaction officers and posted on buildings. SCP Security sent out photos to their reaction officers and published them on their Facebook page which has almost 600 000 followers.

A possible sighting in Krugersdorp on the road to Tarlton was called in. “We informed Tarlton police who activated sector vehicles to be on the lookout. They also printed flyers.” This lead and another in Randpark Ridge, however, did not yield results.

“In case he was headed that way, we alerted the Magaliesberg and Hartebeespoort CPFs and private security companies. BCI Security on the West Rand joined the search and poured their efforts into searching Roodepoort, Little Falls, Krugersdorp, Randfontein and surrounding areas.”

With each passing hour Cassim says, efforts are ramped up. “By day three, things are very serious.”

The Northcliff Melville Times accompanied SCP Security on one of their searches in and around Fairland, Northcliff and nearby main roads and highways. Searches were done in vehicles and on foot where the boy could have been obscured by ditches, fallen trees and other obstacles in open spaces.

The details as to how the boy was found later that afternoon will also not be published at this stage but he was located unharmed and is safe.

“The Fairland CPF Victim Support Unit (VSU) was actively involved from the outset, and continues to be so,” said Cassim.

Head of the Fairland VSU Dr Sally Röthemeyer said, “The effort does not stop once a missing person is found. That is only half the job done. Aftercare in the form of support initiatives, social assistance, medical and other requirements need to be considered for the family to recover from an ordeal such as this.”

“All families need space and time to heal, also we must take appropriate steps to ensure there is no recurrence, and the best opportunity and support to make them functional as a normal, healthy, conducive family environment.”

Victim Support members at the forefront of this case were Tanja Henderson and Debbie Fitzgibbon. Working behind the scenes were Dr Sally Röthemeyer, Dr Martin Kassen and Charmaine Stainton. Police Pastor Stanton Jogannah also assisted greatly.

Beagle Watch’s André Aiton said, “We pooled all our available resources in our attempt to find him and spared no effort in doing so. The anguish that a family goes through in a situation such as this is unfathomable and as a team, we are all very relieved and grateful that he was found unharmed. We continue to support the family wherever we can during this trying time.”

Owner of SCP Security Clive Maher said, “The moment you find out a missing person is found, let alone a young teenager is the best news imaginable as the potential for danger or worse in the city is enormous. The fact that he is unharmed from this ordeal is a huge relief. We and other role players would have stopped at nothing until he was located, no matter what.”

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