Missing Petaluma teen found in Sebastopol

A 13-year-old Petaluma teen missing for almost 48 hours was found Wednesday in Sebastopol by family members, according to Petaluma police.

Lucas Michael Coleman was home with his foster family by mid-afternoon, Petaluma Police Sgt. Ed Crosby said.

“He’s physically fine. He’s at home, safe and sound and that’s the main thing,” Crosby said.

Coleman was found by a brother. How he spent the 48 hours wasn’t initially clear, the sergeant said.

He’d been missing since disappearing Monday afternoon following a medical appointment in Santa Rosa.

Coleman’s situation concerned police, who Tuesday night issued a news release about the missing boy and released his photo. Detectives also alerted law enforcement agencies in the region and San Francisco about the missing teen.

“Normally we wouldn’t put out a press release on a missing person. We have runaway juveniles every day,” said Crosby. “But obviously when you are younger, the more at-risk you are. His lack of resources and the cold weather, for me, tipped the scales.”

Rainfall began Wednesday afternoon on a day already marked by below-freezing temperatures in many areas. The forecast was for days of continued cold and periods of rain.

The news release generated some possible sightings, including that he could be in Cotati, along the Joe Rodota trail in Santa Rosa and in Pacifica. The boy recently had expressed a desire to go to Guerneville and live in the area’s homeless community, and authorities in the west county were alerted he could be headed that way.

“He wanted to live free, among the homeless,” Crosby said.

The boy’s connection to the river area may involve a family member who reportedly had been homeless in that area in the past, the sergeant said.

About one week ago, he moved to Petaluma - a new town and a new family. He immediately left, riding a bicycle to Santa Rosa before he was found, the sergeant said.