Teen upset about COVID restrictions found in woods after running away, Oregon cops say

A 13-year-old said he ran away from home because he was upset about COVID-19 restrictions that kept him from seeing his friends or going to school, Oregon officials said.

The boy’s family reported him missing after they searched the house and property but couldn’t find him, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office said Sunday in a Facebook post.

“Once deputies arrived on scene, they launched a small drone to scan the property, which was partially wooded,” the sheriff’s office said. “Deputies also searched the residence and outbuildings again.”

Deputies couldn’t find the boy and called the county’s search and rescue team. Officials started looking for the teen using a drone.

Officials found the boy sitting in a “heavily wooded area” near the residence, the sheriff’s office said.

“The child told deputies he ran away from home because he was upset about not being able to attend school, sports, and spend time with friends due to COVID,” the sheriff’s office said. “The child was evaluated by medics on scene and reunited with his family.”

At the beginning of March, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown ordered middle and high schools to change to in-person learning starting April 19, according to The Oregonian.

“Whether or not public schools should return kids to the classroom this spring is no longer up for discussion,” Brown said, according to the news outlet.

More than 161,700 people in Oregon have tested positive for COVID-19 since the pandemic began, according to state data. At least 2,365 people have died from the virus.