News of the Nature Coast of Florida

The Citrus County Sheriff's Office is asking for the public's help in finding three young runaways.

Two of the runaways, Rachel Warren, 15, of Sugarmill Woods, and Vanessa Simmons, 17, of Crystal River are habitual runaways. A third runaway, Gabriel Ruiz-Cain, 16, of Inverness, is also being sought.

Warren is described as a is a white female, 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighing 117 pounds. She has long brown hair and hazel eyes. Simmons is a white female, 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighs 180 pounds. She has blonde hair and brown eyes.

Simmons was placed with a foster parent in Crystal River earlier in the day on Oct. 27, but by 10 p.m., had already bolted, the CCSO says. She has a lengthy history of running from foster homes, and only took with her the few plastic bags of new clothing she arrived with. Investigators have reason to believe she may be in Pasco County; somewhere in the Dade City area. They’ve been working with authorities there in an attempt to locate her. Authorities in Lake County have also been notified, and are lending assistance.

Ruiz-Cain does not have a history of running away. He is a Hispanic male, 5 feet 10 inches tall, and weighs 120 pounds. He has black hair and brown eyes. He was last seen on Dec. 14. His parents believe he sneaked out of the house through a bathroom window, taking a small bag of clothes with him. Investigators are fairly certain that he is somewhere in a neighboring county. On Dec. 18, his mother received a phone call from the missing 16-year-old, saying he was okay.

The CCSO says the youths have been entered into the national database of missing persons. Any of the teens may have altered his or her appearance in the interim, the CCSO adds.

CCSO investigators also have been working with officials from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and National Center for Missing & Exploited Children to disseminate additional information and fliers about the missing teens.

Residents should be advised that anyone without lawful authority who knowingly or recklessly aids or abets any minor from the custody of the minor’s parent or guardian commits the offense of interference with custody, and may be charged with the third-degree felony.

If anyone has information about the whereabouts of any of these runaways, please call 911 or local law enforcement immediately.