BEDFORD COUNTY, Tenn. (WTVF) — Law enforcement officials are investigating why a group of teenagers have repeatedly run away from the same foster home on Haskins Chapel Road in Bedford County.
During the past two years, at least four Hispanic teenage girls have disappeared from this location.
"Runaways are common, but it's unusual to see them coming out of the same place," Sgt. Chris Brown of the Bedford County Sheriff’s Office said.
Brown talks with me about each of these cases in the player above.
One of the teens fell on the department's radar twice, but she ended up coming back home.
"She goes missing February 2022 and comes back on April 15. Then on April 24, she goes missing again. The only way we knew she went missing is because they called us, but never told us she was back the first time," Sgt. Brown said.
The most recent case involves Allizon Venture-Gomez, who is 16.
Sgt. Brown, who has been working on the case, spoke with her birth family and discovered discrepancies in the foster parents’ accounts.
"It was concerning that the foster parent wouldn’t provide me with that information, but when I met the older sibling through translation, she was able to say, 'Yes, I know the foster parent and I have her number," Sgt. Brown said.
Detectives are now taking a closer look at the foster parents.
"Sometimes foster kids might not like the foster home and might not like the other children there. There might be an issue with the foster parents themselves," Brown said.
I attempted to get the foster parents’ side of the story, so I went to the home. I didn't receive a response despite seeing people inside.
These incidents are being compared to the case of Maria Lucas Gaspar, 16, from nearby Shelbyville, who went missing. Sadly, her remains were tragically discovered on Old Nashville Road.
"When people report these things, they all happen to be Hispanic, all happen to be female. I can understand the concern, but I can assure everyone our cases at the sheriff’s office didn’t have anything to do with the young lady that was found in the city," Sgt. Brown said.
Sgt. Brown hopes the community can assist in locating these missing girls.
"Lots of things can happen in today’s world to these children, and I don’t want anything bad to happen to them or anyone else," he said.
The Department of Children's Services has been contacted to see if they are investigating this foster family, but no response has been received yet.
If you have seen any of these teens:
You are urged to call the Bedford County Sheriff’s Office at 931-684-3232.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at aaron.cantrell@newschannel5.com
Fostering Hope provides Christmas for kids in foster care. I'm delighted to see Fostering Hope expand this year to expand their reach to now include kids in Foster care in metro AND foster kids in East TN hard hit by Helene.
-Bree Smith
