A mother is searching for her son, who went missing from Montclair Mall in Montclair, California. She said in a Facebook post that Colby Meck has been reported as a runaway by Montclair police.
Who is Colby Meck?
Meck’s mother, Kala Cartmill, said in a Facebook post that her son is a current Upland High School sophomore. She added that she has flown to California to find her son.
In another post, Cartmill wrote, “My son went missing today from the Montclair Mall in Montclair, CA. He is already reported as a runaway thru the Montclair police. Several points of contact were made by law enforcement via phone and by anonymous sources that he was picked up in Fontana, CA by the girlfriend’s grandmother, an Ontario, CA resident, of which she denies. Please reshare to help me find my son so I can bring him home to Kentucky.”
Later, in an update, she wrote that Meck was spotted 85 miles away in Lancaster, California.
“Colby has no connections to that area. He should have no cash or electronic forms of payment. If you see him text/ comment / direct message me,” she wrote.
Anyone who has any information on Meck’s whereabouts is urged to call Montclair police at 909-770-4656 or Ontario police at 909-395-2001. One can also text 909-247-7988.
Who is a runaway?
According to the Child Crime Prevention & Safety Center, a runaway refers to a minor who leaves their parent or guardian without permission or has been dismissed by their parents.
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“The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children has published statistics regarding minors who have run away from home. Of more than 20,500 missing children reports, 90 percent of those are what are considered “endangered runaways.” 47 percent of minors who run away from home report a conflict between themselves and their parent or guardian. Half of all runaway minors report that their parents told them to leave or knew they were running away and did not care. Females make up 75 percent of minors who run away from home and 80 percent of the girls report having been sexually or physically abused. 34 percent of runaway youth report being sexually abused before leaving home and 43 percent report that physical abuse occurred in the home,” it adds.