‘A Christmas miracle’: Missing Henrico teen found in Florida after nearly a week
HENRICO COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- Mitchell Leahey, a 17-year-old boy who was reported missing out of Henrico County, was found safe on Thursday. "Statistically, things just get worse and worse as time passes," said Heather Ferguson, a Leahey family friend and Compass Christian Church leader. "But our God is not bound by statistics.” After being missing for six days, Leahey was found in Collier County, Florida, around 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 26. The news shocked and excited the community, as everyone had chipped in to help find Leahey. "We held a prayer circle on Monday morning for those on this side of town and just pleaded with God for his safe return, that God would protect him, that God would shield him from unwelcome eyes, that he would protect him from the elements and our prayers were answered," Ferguson said. According to police, Leahey is in the process of being reunited with his family. Police said that, before this, he was last seen around 5:20 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 20, in the 4900 block of Dickens Road. His parents said that’s where their family therapist’s office is, and Mitchell had rushed out during a session. "He got upset about some things we were confronting him about,” said his parents. “And he ran off, it was a spur-of-the-moment thing.” His parents said he left without his phone, wallet, keys and even his jacket. They said they picked him up from work about an hour before the session, and it was something they did on a monthly basis. Police have not released any details on how or why Leahey went to Florida, but the community is happy to welcome him home. "We are just so grateful," Ferguson said. "We thank Jesus. We thank God for this final ending and this incredibly wonderful Christmas miracle."
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HENRICO COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- Mitchell Leahey, a 17-year-old boy who was reported missing out of Henrico County, was found safe on Thursday.
"Statistically, things just get worse and worse as time passes," said Heather Ferguson, a Leahey family friend and Compass Christian Church leader. "But our God is not bound by statistics.”
After being missing for six days, Leahey was found in Collier County, Florida, around 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 26. The news shocked and excited the community, as everyone had chipped in to help find Leahey.
"We held a prayer circle on Monday morning for those on this side of town and just pleaded with God for his safe return, that God would protect him, that God would shield him from unwelcome eyes, that he would protect him from the elements and our prayers were answered," Ferguson said.
According to police, Leahey is in the process of being reunited with his family. Police said that, before this, he was last seen around 5:20 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 20, in the 4900 block of Dickens Road. His parents said that’s where their family therapist’s office is, and Mitchell had rushed out during a session.
"He got upset about some things we were confronting him about,” said his parents. “And he ran off, it was a spur-of-the-moment thing.”
His parents said he left without his phone, wallet, keys and even his jacket. They said they picked him up from work about an hour before the session, and it was something they did on a monthly basis.
Police have not released any details on how or why Leahey went to Florida, but the community is happy to welcome him home.
"We are just so grateful," Ferguson said. "We thank Jesus. We thank God for this final ending and this incredibly wonderful Christmas miracle."
