Missing Kentucky teen with autism found safe 1,000 miles away in Texas, family says
More than a week after 14-year-old Kerry Brooks went missing from Shively, Kentucky, his family said he was found safe in Austin, Texas.
The family said in the “Bring Home Kerry Brooks” Facebook page “the power of social media” led to Kerry’s rescue. Kerry, who has autism and ADHD, was found Dec. 27 by a police officer.
His aunt, Brittany Blevins, said in a Facebook post an officer in Texas recognized his picture. She said there was evidence Kerry was taken “by an unknown man.”
Information on how Kerry ended up in Austin has not been disclosed, but Sgt. Patrick Allen with the Shively Police Department told WHAS criminal charges will “likely” be sought in the case.
“We know that there is a lot of interest in this case and what may have occurred with Kerry while he was missing,” Allen said in a news release to WDRB.
Family members say Kerry went missing Dec. 19, when he told his family he was going to walk to a nearby nursing home to talk to residents, as he often did, WLKY reported. He never arrived at the nursing home.
Shively, a suburb of Louisville, is more than 1,000 miles from Austin.
