Missing Streamwood 12-year-old found

Streamwood police said they found a 12-year-old boy who was missing since about noon Thursday safe in Palatine Saturday.

Mauricio Villa left his home on the 200 block of Tanglewood Drive on Thursday “distraught” about his family’s impending move out of state, police said. He has since been reunited with his family.

When he did not return home by 10 p.m. Thursday, he was reported missing.

Police spokesman Daryl Syre said Saturday afternoon that Mauricio still has not communicated with his family, but that police discovered he is in contact with friends.

“We have every reason to believe he’s OK at this time, as he has been corresponding with friends via Facebook,” Syre said.