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Missing 12-year-old Indian Trail boy located, going home

INDIAN TRAIL, N.C. — UPDATE: Chance Kelly has been located and going home, the Union County Sheriff's Office said.

A Union County mother is pleading for help to find her 12-year-old son.

Officials with the Union County Sheriff’s Office said Chancellor "Chance" Ashton Kelly was last seen around 4:40 p.m. Tuesday on Salmon River Drive in the Meriwether neighborhood of Indian Trail. He was walking away from home toward a nearby pool area, authorities said.

Deputies said they believe Chance left home voluntarily. He is a student at Sun Valley Middle School and was not in class Wednesday, officials said.

Investigators said they searched on foot and used cadaver dogs but were unsuccessful. Charlotte-Mecklenburg police even helped search a wooded area for him by using their helicopter for hours, but still there's no sight of him.

Chance's mother, Lashonda Campbell, said the past 24 hours have been like a nightmare. She made a plea for him to come home.

"It's bad weather out here. We don't know if you're safe, but we want you to come home, because it's more important for you to come home and be safe with us so we can know if you're OK," Campbell said.

The Union County Sheriff's Office is also asking the public to help in the search.

"The more time that goes by, the more concern there is, so we felt we needed to get that information out to the public," Union County Sheriff's Office spokesperson Tony Underwood said.

Detectives said they have no reason to believe there's been any foul play, but they are taking Chance's disappearance very seriously.

Chance is described as black and light skinned, 4 feet 9 inches tall and 80 pounds. He was last seen wearing a black shirt, khaki pants and black Jordans, officials said.

Police said anyone with information about Chance or his whereabouts should call 911 immediately.

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