Chloe Grady, a native of Salisbury, North Carolina, was reported missing on June 8, 2024. However, the Rowan County official page confirmed that the teen had returned home safely after a few days, despite a recent upsurge in the case.
Previously, the 17-year-old Chloe Grady was last spotted near her hometown while coming home from school. Her disappearance caused widespread concern in the community as her parents and neighbors urged the public for assistance.
Soon, someone posted a picture of Grady alongside her car on Facebook, which received thousands of interactions from people across the state. Moreover, Grady’s mother requested that people check their sheds, garages, and other buildings to locate her daughter.
Further, the official police report mentioned that Grady had contacts in Cheraw, South Carolina, and could be headed in that direction for unknown reasons. Authorities left a helpline number on all Facebook posts if anyone had seen or spoken to the teen.
In a public statement, the mother revealed that Grady had escaped through her bedroom window and entered a red vehicle before disappearing.
She added, “I figured she’d just come home. It’s been long enough, and no one has heard anything from her. Since her last stunt, I had taken away and disconnected her phone.”
Additionally, the teen was outside her home without proper identification, driving license, and money, raising concerns about her safety and whereabouts. Initially, her mother didn’t want to file a police report but had to do so after the case crossed its 24-hour mark.
Fortunately, after missing for 32 hours, Chloe Grady returned home safely in her vehicle. The Rowan County page updated its post, assuring users that the teen had reunited with her family.
New posts about Chloe Grady’s missing were scams, as the information didn’t align with the original complaint!
Despite her return five months ago, the case has been receiving attention as many Facebook pages have reposted Grady’s picture and details in hopes of finding her.
However, each post mentioned different ages for the teenager, initially confusing netizens. Further, the posts included Grady’s height and weight, which were missing from the original report.
Similarly, the report went to Instagram, Twitter, and Threads, where many analyzed the nature of the reposts. Many concluded that Grady wasn’t missing and all the posts were fake and bait for engagement.
#MissingPerson: Chloe Grady, 15, has been missing since October 10th. Chloe drives a 2001 Honda Civic. She was last seen wearing a black hoodie, crocs and jeans.
— Ty’s Take Today (@ItsTysTakeToday) October 18, 2024
Anyone with information is asked to call the Waterford Police Department at (248) 674-0351. @WaterfordTwpPD pic.twitter.com/r5gta2Ogh3
Investigators revealed that these misleading posts were behind fraudulent accounts promoting unrelated content, including real estate offers, garage sales, and vacancy announcements.
Moreover, such postings have been rampant recently, where fake accounts derive information from the Missing Persons database or their official groups to create discussions and increase their accounts’ reach among the community.
Regardless of the confusion, it is essential to note the authenticity of such posts before sharing them on our accounts. Such misinformation can spread quickly online, making it difficult for the investigators to do their job.
In addition, one Facebook user pointed out that such incidents highlight the need for user caution while sharing sensitive information online, especially involving children where the distribution of their information could put their lives at risk rather than being helpful.
Additional Information
- If you or anyone you know has been experiencing a similar situation, don’t hesitate to contact the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children helpline at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678).
- National sources estimate that 2.3k children go missing every day in the United States. In addition to abduction, children disappear due to family misunderstandings, physical violence, and conflict.