The Bradley County Sheriff’s today used the "A Child is Missing" alerting system for the first time in response to a missing seven -year-old girl on Pine Ridge Drive. Approximately 2,000 homes in that area received an alert message over their telephone that the sheriff’s office was working a missing person case and her description.

The 9-1-1 call was received in the communications center at 1:51 p.m. and Sheriff Tim Gobble along with a number of BCSO deputies responded to begin a search of the immediate area. At the same time, other personnel were sent to help in the search as it expanded outward from the girl’s home.

Sheriff Gobble directed the on scene investigation and through developed leads the girl was located at a motel across town. Upon location, the child was placed in temporary protective custody and the adult male she was with at the motel was placed in investigative custody. At this time no charges have been filed and the BCSO Criminal Investigations Division, the TBI, along with the Department of Children’s Services is continuing the investigation to determine if any crimes have been committed.

The "A Child is Missing" program has helped in 330 successful recoveries of children, teens, and adults. It uses Global Positioning Satellite Technology to send alerts to homes that are close to where the missing person was last seen. ACIM can contact several thousand phones within a relatively short period of time. BCSO has been a part of the program for several years, but this is the first time it was used.

Sheriff Gobble commended the teamwork of all personnel involved including the 911 Communications Center. The Child Find Program is an invaluable asset in times such as this.