A MISSING 17-year-old reportedly sent his mom disturbing texts about a white van before cops found his truck abandoned and his phone snapped in half.
Cops fear that Caden Speight is in danger after responding to a shooting scene in Dunnellon, Florida, about an hour south of Gainesville, on Thursday and finding the empty car.
Caden Speight, 17, disappeared on Thursday, after cops responded to a shooting scene and found his abandoned truck[/caption]
His car was found in Dunnellon, Florida, about an hour south of Gainesville[/caption]
Cops found his truck abandoned on the side of a highway at around 4 pm after hearing reports of gunfire, but there was no sign of the teen.
Inside the car, they found his cell phone snapped in half and started combing the surrounding area and looking for any signs of the teen.
It was initially reported that Speight could have been in a light colored van with four unknown Hispanic men.
However, at 11:45 am, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office said this information is inaccurate, and they believe Caden could have fled the scene on a bicycle.
Before the teen disappeared, he sent his mother now-horrifying final text messages, she said in Facebook posts.
“Mom, I’m shot […[ 4 men […] white van,” read the bone-chilling messages, according to radio station WAUC.
Cops released surveillance images of a teen matching Caden’s description walking through a parking lot with a dark mountain bike.
He was also captured purchasing a tent at a Walmart in Ocala, about a 28-minute drive from where his car was abandoned.
The sheriff’s office said that, despite this new information, they still believe that Caden could be in danger.
The teen was described as 6 feet tall and 150 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes.
He was last seen wearing blue jeans and a t-shirt.
Anyone who spots someone who matches Caden’s description is urged not to approach him, but instead call 911.
In the updated statement, Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods said, “We respond to every 911 call with a determination to ensure justice is served and the truth revealed.
“But any law-enforcement officer will tell you that when these calls involve juveniles, it takes on an even greater intensity. This case is no different,” he wrote.
Woods insisted that all available resources are being poured into the search for Caden, acknowleding that initial information was proven false.
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