A Florida mother desperately searching for her son had joined the sheriff’s office in begging the public for help.
Right in the middle of the live conference, where details about the teenager were shared, the mom received an unexpected update about her son’s whereabouts.
Some netizens were convinced her demeanor was “suspicious” and claimed she had a “weird reaction” to the news.
Highlights
- Florida mom Olga Adcock had been desperately searching for her missing son for nearly 48 hours.
- Benjamin Adcock, 16, was last seen wandering away from home in St. Augustine.
- Netizens found her reaction “suspicious” after learning about her son’s whereabouts in the middle of a press conference.
- “She didn’t look too happy,” read one comment online.
A mother’s reaction to an update about her missing son was called “fishy” and “suspicious”
On September 14, Florida mother Olga Adcock had joined officials from the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office in making a public appeal about her son.
The 16-year-old boy, Benjamin Adcock, had been missing for almost 48 hours and was last seen wandering off from his home in St. Augustine around noon on Saturday.
Benjamin, previously diagnosed with schizophrenia and autism, was one of five siblings in the family.
Officials launched a widespread search for him, involving drones, helicopters, K9 teams, and even volunteers searching on foot.
Nearly 48 hours after he went missing, St. Johns County Sheriff Rob Hardwick gave a press conference, sharing details about the missing teen to the public.
Olga was seen standing right beside the sheriff as he addressed the crowd.
“[Benjamin] is one of five [children], he is the oldest of the siblings. So for him to actually be...” Hardwick said before he seemed distracted by someone.
He was then informed that Benjamin had been found.
Olga Adcock was seen standing right next to the sheriff during a press conference about the teen boy
“They found him,” a woman from the audience was heard saying.
“Oh my goodness, gracious. Okay,” Rob said before turning to the mother and embracing her.
Olga hugged the sheriff back and said, “Praise the Lord on my soul.”
“Wow. There is light at the end of the tunnel. God is good. God is good,” the mother said.
While a sense of relief spread through the community, netizens claimed the mother’s reaction seemed “fishy.”
“She looks annoyed that he was found alive,” one said, while another claimed, “She didn’t look too happy. I think he may be a burden on the family.”
“Why is the mom so chill about it??” another asked. “It’s weirding me out.”
“I would have been screaming if I found out they found him,” one said.
Netizens claimed the mother looked “annoyed” about Benjamin being found alive
“No tears = no fears,” read another comment. “She looks ‘thrilled,’ like letting your dog out in another county and it finds its way back home …that kind of ‘thrilled.’”
“Weird reaction,” claimed another. “I would have immediately left to go and be with my son, who had JUST been found, like wtf?!”
“She says ‘wow’ and sighs like she was hoping that wouldn’t have been the outcome lol,” another said.
During the press conference, the sheriff said the twist of fate was the best outcome they could hope for.
“Does anyone else think she looks.. not thrilled about this outcome?” read one comment online
“It makes you want to cry, for goodness sakes, that’s the best outcome that could actually happen right now, is to have a mom next to you right now that says, ‘God is good,’ right?” he said. “It doesn’t get any better than that.”
The sheriff praised a good Samaritan for alerting authorities after recognizing Benjamin from social media photos.
“This is a citizen, paying attention, not afraid to call the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office and bringing a 16-year-old boy home to his mom, Olga,” he said.
Rob reportedly told Olga that the department would help her keep track of Benjamin in the future and also take care of the expenses.
He also went on to explain some of the resources available to the public while dealing with a family member who tends to wander off.
Under the “Project Lifesaver” program, he said locals can register for bracelets or anklets with small transmitters that emit a frequency signal.
This would help the tracker find the missing family member’s location.
The sheriff explained the different services that were available to residents caring for a family member with special needs
He also mentioned that they could keep “K9 Scent Kits” that include the family member’s personal belongings. In case they go missing, police K9s can track them using the scent attached to the preserved items.
Another program Rob mentioned was the “SAFE Program,” which improves communication between first responders and families with a member having special needs.
Once registered, the guardian will receive a sticker that can be placed on their home or vehicle, and this would ensure that important information is readily available to law enforcement officials during contact.
“The police officer is more excited than her,” one commented online
