COLUMBUS, Ind. – A missing 14-year-old boy was found by Bartholomew County Sheriff’s deputies on Sunday after wandering away from a safe place.
Jacob Peden was reported missing Sunday night, however, he was equipped with a project Lifesaver bracelet which allowed responders to track his last known location. The signal was picked up near Walmart on Merchants Mile, roughly one mile from Peden’s home. Surveillance footage showed deputies that Peden entered the store, went into the bathroom where he removed his bracelet, and then ran out of the store.
Deputies located the bracelet in the restroom, then saturated the surrounding area until Peden was found. A new band will be added to his bracelet to keep the boy from removing it to prevent a similar situation.
Project Lifesaver is still a fairly new addition to Bartholomew County, but its impact is already being felt. The project’s transmitters allow law enforcement to track down anyone who has wandered awawy from a safe location, as long as they are wearing the bracelet. For those who are interested in Project Lifesave, contact triad@bartholomew.in.gov.
