Update as of September 29 at 12:53 p.m.:
A teen who had been missing since early September after running away from a residential treatment facility was located over the weekend, according to Bethel Police Department. The department updated its original Facebook post to note that 15-year-old William James Maxie had been located in Bethel as of September 29.
ORIGINAL ARTICLE, published under the headline "BPD issues missing juvenile alert for William James Maxie, missing since Sept. 2":
The Bethel Police Department said that 15-year-old William James Maxie has been missing since early September.
Police said that Maxie is 5 feet 6 inches tall, with black hair and brown eyes. They said that he was reported seen on Sept. 3 wearing all black and driving a green, older-model Honda four-wheeler in the Joe Lomack area.
Maxie was reportedly seen "as recently as Sept. 26" according to a BPD Facebook post, in the area of ACC Main, accompanied by a "20+ year old man." The post also said that officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop a four-wheeler driven by someone matching Maxie's description on Sept. 27, but that the individual did not stop and officers did not pursue.
Bethel Police Chief James Harris said in an email on Sept. 26 that Maxie was reported to have run away from a residential treatment facility on Sept. 2, along with another individual who was later returned to the facility.
Harris said that the Bethel Police Department has been aware of Maxie’s disappearance since Sept. 2, and that his photo has been circulated to officers so that they could be on the lookout for him. Harris said that officers responded to the report of Maxie seen in the Joe Lomack area, but did not locate him.
Harris said that Maxie was reported missing by his father, who does not live in Bethel, on the evening of Sept. 26. Harris said that Bethel Police officers made contact with an adult brother who lives in Bethel, who told police that he had not seen Maxie since around August.
Police are asking anyone with information to call 907-543-3781 and reference case #2415610.
This is a developing story and may be updated with additional information.
