Highland County — For nearly a week, 18-year-old Madison Bell’s disappearance sparked a nationwide search.
Massive search crews were used to look for Bell, only to find her in another state with the man who was a person of interest in the case.
The search cost a lot of time, money, and resources, and in the end, it was discovered she left on her own.
News Center 7′s Katy Andersen spoke with Highland County Sheriff Donnie Barrera about the situation and the resources available for young adults who are trying to get away.
“She just wanted to start a new life, so that’s what she said to us. She just wanted to move on and start a new life,” said Barrera.
Her new life started when she told her family she was going tanning but her car and cell phone were found abandoned in a nearby church parking lot.
The sheriff says the search for Bell cost his department thousands of dollars.
“Hopefully we will be able to get by,” said Barrera. “With the overtime and manhours we had in it, hopefully I had it budgeted right this year that we will be able to get by.”
In Dayton, there are resources available for people like Madison who want to leave their home.
Daybreak is an emergency shelter for young adults and children who are runaways or homeless.
Sheriff Barrera says that by going somewhere like Daybreak or telling someone she was leaving by choice, it could have saved a lot of time and tax payer dollars.
“If you are going to turn 18 and become an adult, do the adult thing and let people know you are moving on with your life so people don’t have the resources wrapped up and have to manhunt for you,” said Barrera.
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