Missing Child In Barnegat, Ocean County Is Found

A search for a missing child in the Barnegat area on Thursday evening and Friday has ended. The boy was found, police said.

At 5:47 p.m., police were conducting a neighborhood canvassing operation in the area of Village Drive when they developed information that Michael Briganti might, 14, was seen in a wooded area nearby.

The police entered the wooded area and were able to identify Briganti, who initially ran from them. Officers were able to recover Briganti, who was unharmed, police.

At the request of the family, Barnegat Police was seeking the public's assistance in its search for the missing endangered 14-year-old male.

Before he was found, Briganti, of Tedesko Way in Barnegat, was last seen at 5 p.m. on Thursday when he ran away from his home into the woods, police said.

Michael is a white male, 5 feet, 6 inches tall and weighing 127 pounds. He has blond hair and blue eyes.

He was last seen wearing a white Brackman School sports jersey with the #25. He also had white soccer shorts, white socks, and black Nike sneakers, police said.

Barnegat Police were engaged in a continuous search for the juvenile along with its partners from the Ocean County Sheriff's Department. Police were using numerous assets in the area, including both manned and unmanned aircraft.

Anyone with information was asked to contact the Barnegat Police at 609-698-5000.

"The Barnegat Police Department has a laundry list of agencies to thank for their timely and generous dedication of resources to the search effort," police said.

They included: the Ocean County Sheriff's Department, Ocean County Prosecutor's Office, Stafford Township Police Department, Barnegat Volunteer Fire Company, New Jersey state forest fire service, Tuckerton Fire Department, Waretown Fire Company and Ocean County Park Rangers all assisted with personnel, equipment, or both.

"Most helpful were the members of the community who made the missing persons post go viral, sharing it nearly 8,000 times and helping it to reach nearly 160,000 people on Facebook," police said. "The outpouring of support and offering of personal resources by the community was unprecedented and greatly appreciated."

This is a developing story. Patch will have more information as it becomes available.