A local boy is missing after leaving his home following a reported falling out with his parents. On Tuesday, July 4, Brian and Laura Brooks of Joseph City reported that their son Jarrett Brooks, 16, was missing from their home at 6:30 a.m. According to a Facebook page called Search for Jarrett Brooks, and the father’s social media page, Jarrett left the home after he was grounded the night before for unknown reasons, at which time his cell phone was taken from him. Based off of a witness account, Jarrett is 6-feet tall, 140-pounds, with blonde hair and brown eyes and was last seen wearing a black shirt that say “America” with a design, blue jeans, cowboy boots and a baseball cap. He was last spotted in the area of Lacy Lane in Joseph City at approximately 8 a.m. that morning.
According to a press release by the Joseph City Fire District (JCFD), the initial search area was so large that JCFD was asked to assist in coordinating any outside resources that would be able to help, including an aerial survey by an Arizona Department of Public Safety Ranger helicopter; but the search produced no results. Tracking dogs from the Arizona Department of Corrections were called in, which resulted in multiple scent hits. Based off of those hits, JCFD, the Navajo County Sheriff’s Office and JCFD’s Community Emergency Response Team conducted an extensive grid search in the area between Lacy Lane and Manila Wash the following day on Wednesday, July 5. The search failed to provide any sightings or additional information. As a result, the search was terminated in that area.
“The decision to terminate was not an easy one, but based on the experience of NCSO and JCFD personnel it is believed Jarrett was no longer in that area,” stated JCFD Public Information Officer Tyler Rice. “We are fortunate to be able to call on neighboring agencies for resource and thank those agencies for answering the call. Not only did neighboring agencies answer the call, we had an outpouring of community support as well.”
Although the investigation has been turned over to NCSO, community residents has stepped up to continue searching the area on foot, on horseback, on dirt bikes, vehicles and using drones; checking abandoned buildings and the region surrounding the community.
This incident is now being investigated by NCSO. If anyone has any information on Jarrett’s whereabouts, please contact the NCSO dispatch center at 928-524-4050.
