For more than four years, there have been no signs of a teenager who ran away from a Forestville youth home. Carlos Portes was 16-years-old when he was last seen on Oct. 6, 2007. Portes was a ward of the state at the time he ran away, but authorities want to find him even though he has “aged out” and would now be 21 years old, said Melinda Stevens, director of the missing-children division of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
“When they turn 18, they are deemed to be adults. They can do as they please,” Stevens said. “We’re still searching for these children because we must make sure that they are alive and well at the age of maturity.”
Stevens said many youths under the supervision of social service agencies are “not fond of the environment” and rebel by running away. She said she didn’t know whether anything specific led to Portes’ disappearance.
Authorities believe Portes might be from Guatemala. He also has ties to Louisiana; Stevens said NCMEC has distributed posters and age-progressed photographs about his case in that state and around Maryland.
Portes is described as Hispanic, about 5 feet 2 inches tall and 140 pounds. He had black hair and brown eyes. Portes was last seen wearing black shorts with a white stripe, a gray shirt, white socks and black shoes, according to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System. He also may have tattoos on his wrists or arms.
Anyone with information about Portes’ disappearance is asked to call NCMEC at 800-THE-LOST (843-5678).
