Missing teens found in Star City

by Staff Pioneer Times
16 years ago

By Kathy McCarty  
Staff Writer
    Two Houlton teenagers were found safe, but hungry and tired, in Presque Isle on Tuesday, Sept. 16, one week after being reported missing.
    “We received information they were in Presque Isle and might have been in a certain home. Upon investigating, we were able to confirm they were in Presque Isle,” said Det. Sgt. Wayne Selfridge, of the Presque Isle Police Department.
    Selfridge said it was a tip from the pubic that led police to the youth, Dustin Smith, 15, and Kassandra LeClaire, 17, both of Houlton.
    “Someone on the street told us they were hiding in the woods near the Northern Maine Fairgrounds. Sgt. Laurie Kelly and I, with the help of another neighbor, saw them come out of the woods. They were apprehended and brought to the police department, where they were ordered held by a juvenile correction officer and later transported to Houlton,” said Selfridge.
    Selfridge said the parents of both teens were notified once the youth were found.
    “The parents were cooperative and thankful. The teenagers were in ok health when we found them, just tired and hungry,” said Selfridge.
    Police indicated this wasn’t the first time the two had gone missing, referring to the pair as “habitual runaways.”
    Smith and LeClaire, no strangers to the foster care system, having spent several years in state care, indicated to officials they weren’t satisfied with their current foster families and that was the main reason they ran away.
    LeClaire and Smith, who both have extended families in the Presque Isle area, were returned to Houlton, where they both were on probationary hold. LeClaire was also being held for an outstanding juvenile warrant for failure to appear in court on a harassment charge.
    Houlton Police Chief Butch Asselin was grateful for all who assisted in finding the teenagers.
    “They were picked up on Sept. 16 by the Presque Isle Police Department. I want to thank everyone for helping to get the word out on these two,” said Asselin.