South Austin mother still searching for teen son who left home nearly a month ago
AUSTIN, Texas - A South Austin mother has been searching for her son who ran away from home nearly a month ago.
Hunter Clark, 17, left home on May 30. His mother, Lynn Lasky, says he may have been seen in the Travis Heights, South Congress, and St. Edward's area at the beginning of the month, but she wants people across the greater Austin area to be on the lookout.
"We are searching all day, every day, all over town," she said. "It has been heartbreaking and frustrating. We just want to bring him home."
Hunter is described as 6 feet tall, 158 pounds, with hazel eyes and long brown hair. He was last seen wearing dark gray sweats, a black T-shirt, a black hoodie, black Adidas tennis shoes with white stripes, and a black backpack.
She says there have been difficulties with the reporting process.
"We have run into some frustration. One, it would be great if the city had more resources to actually look for missing people, and maybe even if there was a phone number that people could call in with tips or report somebody who was missing and that would be followed, because we've definitely run into some frustration there. APD has instructed us to have people contact 311. Apparently, 311 tells people to call APD. That may end up on one detective's desk or email, so actually having more resources for the detectives, so that it's not just one person who may have a whole bunch of these types of cases," she said.
Hunter Clark, 17
Austin police say:
"This case is classified as a runaway, not a missing person. At this time, there is nothing criminal in nature in this case. APD has documented all leads and sightings. At this time, there is nothing that has suggested the runaway is in any immediate danger.
If anyone has any additional information, they may call 3-1-1 non-emergency. If they see the runaway in danger, they may call 9-1-1."
Austin 311 says:
"The correct course of action for reporting a runaway person under the age of 18 is to call 9-1-1 directly."
Anyone with info on Hunter Clark is asked to call the numbers on the flyer.
Lasky is asking people to call the numbers on the flyer above.
"We really believe that the community can help if they're just out looking, if they see something, if they could call, let us know," she said. "If Hunter could reach out to either family, friends, the phone numbers that we're publishing. He's not in trouble. We just want to get him to safety and make sure that he's okay," she said.