LATROBE, Pa. — Pennsylvania State Police told Channel 11 that they received a call from the Adelphoi group home on Main Street in Latrobe about a missing teenager. Meanwhile, a few blocks down the road, officers were also responding to a traffic stop involving a stolen car.
Investigators later realized both situations involved the same 15-year-old boy.
“A lot of bad things could have happened; very fortunately for us, none of those bad things happened,” Trooper Steve Limani said.
“He wasn’t even old enough to drive, and yet he was driving. He could have killed anybody,” said Donna Witherspoon, who lives in Downtown Latrobe.
Troopers say a 15-year-old was driving a stolen car down a busy Downtown Latrobe street after he escaped the Adelphoi group home. Police say the teen didn’t listen to their commands, so they used a PIT maneuver – where the police car hits into the back of the other car - to stop him.
“You’re talking about a 15-year-old, who is obviously not of age to drive a vehicle, how scary that is,” Limani said. “They are also driving without headlights. I’m sure they are unfamiliar with the vehicle, and you’re in a chase in the middle of the city.”
The teen did not travel far. The group home was less than a mile away from where police pulled him over. He was taken into custody and the stolen car had minor damage. The Westmoreland County District Attorney’s Office will now decide whether or not the teen will be charged as an adult.
According to the Latrobe Bulletin News, a 17-year-old escaped from the home in August of 2023, and three more teens escaped two months later in October.
Adelphoi released a statement saying in part,
“The residential program from which the youth left is an open residential program, meaning it is not a secure or locked facility. This model is designed to support youth in building personal responsibility and decision-making skills in a structured environment. When a youth does leave without authorization, staff immediately implement established safety protocols, including notifying the state police, who then assume responsibility for locating and returning the youth safely.
At Adelphoi, the safety and well-being of the youth in our care is always our highest priority. We remain committed to providing supportive and transformative services to those we serve, and we are cooperating fully with the state police to ensure the continued safety of our communities."
The teen is being held at the Westmoreland County Juvenile Detention Center until his charges are determined.
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