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Deputies Find Lost 14-Year-Old With Autism on Palm Coast Trail

A fast, coordinated search using drones and a deputy’s body camera captured the rescue and underscored safety risks for neurodivergent youth.

Overview

  • The girl, identified as 14-year-old Addison Toel, became disoriented after riding her electric bike near Peavy Grade as daylight faded and called her mother when her phone battery was dying.
  • Her mother called 911 and Flagler County deputies launched a search that used drones and ground teams and located the teen roughly 30 minutes after the search began.
  • Commanders said the e-bike’s headlamp helped deputies spot her from a distance, and the teen was reunited with her mother with no injuries reported.
  • A deputy’s body-worn camera recorded the emotional rescue and reunion, footage that officials and the family shared to highlight the response and the teen’s distress.
  • Officials and family members praised the quick, tech-assisted response, and the case has prompted public attention to supervision and safety measures for neurodivergent children who may become disoriented at dusk.