Family thanks Orange County, Durham officers, public for finding teen who disappeared
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office reported late Wednesday night that a missing 16-year-old boy had been returned to his family.
Nicholas Robert Woodrum, 16, was reported missing after he left his Rougemont home Tuesday morning on an errand and did not return by later that day. His parents contacted the Sheriff’s Office, saying they had looked for him for several hours, according to a news release.
An update was posted to the Sheriff’s Office Facebook page at 11:24 p.m. Wednesday that Woodrum had been found and was back with his family.
The Woodrum family issued a statement Thursday through the Sheriff’s Office thanking the public and law enforcement for their help.
“The Woodrum family would like to express our heartfelt thanks for the tremendous outpouring of prayers and-eyes-on-the-ground support from our amazing community,” the family said in a statement released Thursday. “Your efforts led the Orange County Sheriff’s Office and the Durham Police Department team to find our beloved son and bring him home safely.”
Orange County deputies and Durham police used emergency technology to track Woodrum’s cell phone to an area near the McDonald’s restaurant at 2700 Guess Road, near the Interstate 85 interchange.
No “criminal element” was involved in his disappearance, the family said in its statement. Sheriff’s officials said Thursday in an update that a restaurant worker saw Nick in his disabled car and called 911 after recognizing him from the widespread media coverage.
No other details were provided about Woodrum’s disappearance.
This story was originally published March 10, 2021 at 2:11 PM.
