A runaway call at a 6th Street group home turned into a much more serious mental-health crisis after the teen returned and began making threats of self-harm.
Portsmouth police were first called just before midnight Sunday after staff reported Rayne Wolfe had left the group home on foot.
The teen was last seen running down 6th Street wearing a black hoodie and black jeans. Staff told police she may have been headed to a friend’s house.
Officers took information for a runaway report.
Then, less than an hour later, things got more complicated.
A group home employee called back to report that an adult woman in a black SUV had arrived with the runaway teen, caused a disturbance, and then drove away with her.
Minutes later, staff called again to say the teen was back at the group home.
Police returned.
By then, officers were dealing with more than a runaway.
CPS and Mental Health Called In
According to the police log, officers contacted Children Services and attempted to reach supervisors with Adams County CPS, which appears to have responsibility for the teen.
Police left multiple messages for CPS personnel after the teen began making threats of self-harm.
Officers then contacted Shawnee Mental Health.
A mental-health evaluator responded to the scene.
After the evaluation, police transported the teen to Southern Ohio Medical Center.
She was then placed under an emergency mental-health hold.
The available report does not explain what led the teen to leave the group home or what happened during the disturbance when she returned.
But in a little more than two hours, the call went from a runaway report to police, CPS, a mental-health evaluator, and a trip to the hospital.
For group-home staff and first responders, that kind of escalation is exactly why runaway calls involving vulnerable teens can quickly become about much more than simply getting someone back through the front door.