TOMBALL, Texas — 5 A.M. UPDATE: Tomball police said a missing 14-year-old was found safe and is back home late Monday.
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Tomball police said they're searching for a missing teen.
The teen was last seen Monday when he was leaving school. Police said the teen was wearing a gray hoodie and blue jeans. He also had a gray backpack.
His father said went to Tomball Star Academy, which is near the intersection of FM 2920 and Hufsmith-Kohrville Road. Tomball Police Chief Jeff Bert said he's a freshman.
According to authorities, on Monday afternoon, the teen went from Tomball Star Academy to Tomball High School (near the intersection of Zion and Quinn roads), which is the last place he was seen.
Bert said the teen doesn't have a history of running away but, at this point, they are treating the case as such. Authorities also said the teen doesn't have any special needs.
The last time the teen was seen was when he was walking away from a school bus that he didn't board, Bert said.
The boy's parents called the police around 5 p.m. when he didn't show up at home. Friends told authorities that they don't know where he is, either. They also said they hadn't heard from him.
What to do when someone goes missing
Thousands of people go missing every year across the United States, and there are organizations and law enforcement agencies that work to bring them home to loved ones.
The Texas Center for the Missing is an organization with Houston roots that works to educate loved ones and authorities on finding the lost.
From resources that deal with missing children to endangered adults, the non-profit organization has compiled a wealth of resources to help.
There is no 24-hour waiting period required to report a person missing, according to the Harris County Sheriff's Office.
