DC-VULNERABLE TEEN William Vancroft IV, 17, Washington DC

[hoppyfrog]

http://newsroom.dc.gov/show.aspx/agency/mpdc/section/2/release/16115

11 Feb 09

The Metropolitan Police Department is seeking the public’s assistance in locating a missing person identified as 17-year-old William Vancroft. He was last seen at about 4:30 pm on Thursday, January 31, 2009 in the 1300 block of G Street, SE.

William is described as a medium complexioned black male, 5’8” tall, weighing about 168 pounds, with brown eyes and black hair. He was last seen wearing blue jeans and a burgundy sweater. He is in need of medication and may appear to be disoriented.

Anyone who has information regarding William Vancroft’s whereabouts is asked to call police at (202) 727-9099.

pic
http://newsroom.dc.gov/file.aspx/release/16115/vancroft_william.JPG

[hoppyfrog]

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/citydesk/2009/02/12/venting-over-the-case-of-a-missing-teenager/

12 Feb 09

Long-time schools activist Cherita Whiting forwarded this message onto one of the listservs. It requires a repeated airing here. Whiting wrote was spreading alarm about a boy, William Van Croft IV, who went missing from his home on Jan. 31.

According to D.C. police, the boy is still missing. Two detectives have been assigned to the case. Not sure why the department waited until Feb. 11 to post a press release with a photo of William (http://newsroom.dc.gov/show.aspx/agency/mpdc/section/2/release/16115).
Whiting goes on to relate his story via another listserv poster:
He is a DCPS Special Education student and attends school in Maryland. He happens to be a classmate of my son. He has been distraught over the untimely death of his 42 year old father who was killed in a car accident a year ago. Billy suffers from Asperger’s Symdrome. Left alone he can be very very vulnerable.
Whiting continues with a description:
He is a medium complexioned black male, 5′8″ tall, weighing about 168 pounds, with brown eyes and black hair. He was last seen wearing blue jeans and a burgundy sweater. He is in need of medication and may appear to be disoriented.
Anyone who has information regarding William Van Croft’s (Billy) whereabouts is asked to call police at (202) 727-9099.”
But there’s more. There’s always this: A narrative that involves some kind of indifference on the part of dc.gov. Whiting’s message continues:
Billy’s mother filed a missing person report with DC Youth Investigations on Jan 31. It sat on a desk somewhere and they just started investigating this case on 2/10.

more at link

[Tonia]

Police Seeking Person Of Interest In William Van Croft Case

On January 31, 17-year-old William Van Croft went missing from his home. City Desk wrote about this case when the police finally posted a missing-person’s release, We’ve talked to William’s mother Jackie and last posted an update at the end of February. There now appears to be a significant break in the case. D.C. Police sent out a release asking for information relating to “a person of interest.” This person is Erica Laws.
The department writes:
“The Metropolitan Police Department is seeking the public’s assistance in locating 17-year-old William Vancroft, who was last seen at about 4:30 pm on Thursday, January 31, 2009 in the 1300 block of G Street, SE.


William may be in the company of a known acquaintance, Erica Laws, his deceased father’s girlfriend. Ms. Laws is described as a 40-year-old black female, 5’3” in height, weighing 125 pounds, with black and brown hair and brown eyes.

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/citydesk/2009/03/21/police-seeking-person-of-interest-in-william-van-croft-case/