Florida activates Spectrum Alert for missing 14-year-old Lucas Maresca
The teen, who has non-verbal autism, was last seen in Springhill Sunday night wearing SpongeBob slippers.
By Harper Laurent ·
A Florida Missing Child Spectrum Alert went into effect Monday for a 14-year-old boy who disappeared from a Hernando County neighborhood. Lucas Maresca was last seen in the area of 10500 Blythville Road in Springhill around 11:30 p.m. on Sunday. The alert requests immediate public assistance to locate the missing teen.
Law enforcement describes Maresca as a white male, 5 feet 4 inches tall, and weighing 126 pounds. He has brown hair and brown eyes. At the time of his disappearance, he was wearing a white polo shirt, gray shorts with a black stripe, and SpongeBob slippers. His family reported him missing at 1:45 a.m. on Monday, prompting the start of a formal investigation.
Investigators reported that Maresca pried open the lock on his bedroom window and exited the home that way. He left the property on foot. Authorities note that Maresca has non-verbal autism and tends to run when approached. The Hernando County Sheriff's Office has asked residents in the surrounding area to check porches and sheds for any sign of him.
Search operations have commenced immediately, though inclement weather is complicating aerial efforts. Bloodhounds from the Pasco Sheriff's Office K-9 Unit are currently on scene. Officials have not yet confirmed the direction Maresca may have traveled after leaving Blythville Road. The search team is continuing to cover the area while waiting for weather conditions to improve.
Anyone with information about Maresca's location is asked to call 911 or contact the Hernando County Sheriff's Office directly at 352-754-6830. The agency issued the alert to maximize public visibility. Maresca’s last known location remains the specific address in Springhill where he was seen exiting his home.
