Missing Harrison County Boy Found

MARSHALL — An East Texas boy reported missing Thursday has been found. KETK reports 13-year-old Paul Bass was found around 11:10 a.m. Friday morning. Harrison County Patrol Deputies found Bass in the area of Farm to Market Road 2625 and Farm to Market Road 31, near the Crossroads Baptist Church. This is the same area where officials say he was seen by a housekeeping crew on Thursday night. According to KETK, Paul is well and will be held at Willoughby Detention Center until further disposition.

According to officials, Bass was scheduled to be attending a boot camp for behavioral issues and made a statement to his sisters that he was going to run away and not come home. He’d last been seen around 10:00 Wednesday night in the 3200 block of Blocker Road. Officials also said Bass is ADHD and takes medication for the disorder. They said Thursday afternoon that he had not had medication for two days.

Bass was spotted and positively identified by the housekeeping crew at Crossroads Baptist Church Thursday at approximately 5:00 p.m. As the housekeeping staff entered the church, one of the workers noticed Bass in the sanctuary area. He walked toward the back of the church, and the housekeeper asked him for his name. Authorities say he hesitated for a moment and then gave a false name to her. He then fled the building after a short conversation with her toward the south side of the property and abandoned a backpack and his shoes, according to law officers.

Upon investigation, officials say, it appeared that he had spent some time inside the church and had been on the roof of the church, where evidence was recovered indicating his presence. At approximately 5:15 p.m., an extensive search of the church property and outbuildings began. Bossier City Specialized K-9 team members and Harrison County K-9 deputies found evidence of his whereabouts and trailed him for approximately ¼ mile before the scent track was lost.

A Texas DPS helicopter unit used infrared equipment in an attempt to locate the boy possibly hiding in the heavily wooded areas surrounding the location. After approximately five hours, the K-9 teams and helicopter withdrew the search areas and ESD-3 volunteers and the parents of the boy continued through the night in a reduced search area. Upon daylight, the search continuted until he was found.
Authorities say the family wishes to thank everyone who took part in spreading the word and helped to locate him.