Teen with special needs who ran away from home found safe

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A 19-year-old woman with special needs who police said ran away from her Steele Creek home Thursday has been found and is safe, her mother said.

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"I just hope they find her safe': Desperate search for teen with special needs continues

CMPD said Leah Kelley ran out of the back door of her home on Savannah Creek Drive around 12:30 a.m. wearing only her undergarments.

The teen's mother told officers that Kelley showed signs of mental distress and broke items in her bedroom before running away.

UPDATE: This is Leah Kelley, whom police are looking for. They say she has special needs & showed signs of distress after an argument with her mother, before running out of the house on Savannah Creek Dr. She was only wearing undergarments. They are concerned about her welfare pic.twitter.com/iR0IkMuXJd
— WSOCTV (@wsoctv) January 17, 2019

Neighbors who are keeping an eye out for the missing teen told Channel 9's Mark Barber that this makes them worry about their own families.

“It breaks my heart to see this happen. It scares me for my grandchildren,” said neighbor Pat Herold.

Officers said every minute matters in this search because Kelley was not wearing proper clothes. According to a police source, this is a challenging search because Kelley has special needs, but she is a fully functioning adult, so she could be anywhere.

“I just hope they find her safe and sound or she comes home soon,” said Herold.

Kelley is known to go to the Walmart on South Tryon and local area gas stations.

A command post, which allowed officials to focus their resources on the Steele Creek area, was set up at the Good Shepherd Church on Moss Road off South Tryon Street overnight. The church is less than a half a mile from Kelley's home.

UPDATE: Significant challenge for @CMPD in search for Leah Kelley. She has special needs but is a fully functioning 19-year-old adult woman. I’m told they are putting in full effort but search area grows by minute. Police source says “she could be anywhere in Charlotte” by now.
— Paul Boyd (@PaulBoydWSOC9) January 17, 2019

Emergency personnel hit the ground hard. Channel 9's Paul Boyd was at the scene and said dozens of officers could be seen canvassing the area for any sign of the teen. They went from door to door, checking homes and nearby businesses.

Authorities also used CMPD's police helicopter and K-9s to cover more ground.

Anyone with information on Kelley's whereabouts is asked to call 911.

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