Deputies in Chambers County, Texas, used the county’s license plate reader network to find a 12-year-old boy reported missing from Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, WTOC reported on September 11, 2026. The boy’s non-custodial father was arrested on September 8 after the child was found safe at a hotel near the interstate. Authorities believed the father may have been trying to flee to Mexico with the child.
At a glance
- Agency
- Chambers County Sheriff’s Office (Texas), at the request of Beaufort County, South Carolina
- Reported missing
- Sept. 7, 2026
- Found
- At a hotel near the interstate, after deputies searched the reader network
- Arrest
- Sept. 8, 2026, the boy’s non-custodial father
- Concern
- Authorities believed he might flee to Mexico
How the plate reader helped
This is what the report says about the technology’s role.
- Deputies searched the county’s plate reader network for the vehicle the father was believed to be driving.
- After searching the area where the vehicle was last reported, they located it at a hotel.
The outcome
- The child was recovered safely and the father was arrested.
In the news
“Chambers County Sheriff Brian Hawthorne said deputies used license plate reader technology to help safely find the abducted child.”
The excerpt is quoted word for word. The rest of this page paraphrases the same report, so names, dates and figures are the reporter’s or the agency’s, not ours. Where a report does not say something, we do not guess.
Context and caveats
- The sheriff called the technology lawful and effective and said it was used here for the right reasons.
- The South Carolina sheriff’s office said it was not releasing more information because the investigation was active.
License plate readers are one investigative tool among several. They flag vehicles and give investigators leads; officers, detectives and the public do the rest, and every lead still has to be verified. For how agencies govern the technology, see our policy and data-retention guide and the accuracy guide.
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Frequently asked questions
How did Texas deputies find the boy?
They searched the county’s plate reader network for the vehicle and located it at a hotel near the interstate.
Who requested the search?
The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office in South Carolina asked the Chambers County Sheriff’s Office for help on September 7.