Local law enforcement reported a Highland Home teen has returned home after a missing child alert had been issued via social media.

The Crenshaw County Sheriff’s office initially received a report late Friday, alerting them Jerrika Carter, a 15-year-old Black female, left the area of Lavon Lane in Highland Home and had not returned home.

Investigators alerted the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency’s Fusion Center, and a missing child alert was issued on social media around 1 a.m. Saturday morning.

Carter returned home Saturday morning and the sheriff’s office canceled the alert around 8:30 a.m.

“Jerrika came home this morning saying she hid out all night,” said investigator Chris Stewart. “She decided to come home this morning.”

At the time of her disappearance Friday, Carter was traveling northeast towards U.S. Highway 331 and wearing a blue hoodie, blue jeans, and yellow Crocs.

ALEA’s Fusion Center partners with municipal departments to share information about missing or endangered persons so they can be found and returned home safely.

“In the event there is a missing or endangered child, local departments report information to the Fusion Center,” said Senior Trooper Kendra McKinney. “We try to get the name, what the person is wearing, and their last known location to transmit in the area and surrounding states. 

“The Code Red app transmits the information and users receive an alert if they are in the area. Time is of the essence. The quicker we get the information and get it out the faster we can find the missing person.”