UPDATE: Missing Spooner Teen Found

UPDATE: The Washburn County Sheriff's Office says that Joey Retzlaff who has been missing since Tuesday, has been located in Spooner and is safe.

The Sheriff's Office did not provide any more information.

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Sheriff’s Office Updates Community On Missing Spooner Teen

WASHBURN COUNTY -- Authorities and family are still looking for 14-year-old Joey Retzlaff who has been missing since Tuesday, June 1st.

Today, the Washburn County Sheriff's Office issued the following press release.

Press Release

Update: Sheriff’s Office Updates Community on Missing Spooner Teen

Joey C. Retzlaff (age 14) has been missing since June 1, 2021, at approximately 11:15 AM.

The Washburn County Sheriff’s Office and Spooner Police Department have continued our efforts to locate Joey over the past three days. Numerous interviews have been conducted and several locations have also been checked by Law Enforcement. We will continue to follow up with leads as they come in. We are asking for anyone with information on Joey's whereabouts to contact us as soon as possible.

There is a video from the Spooner Middle School of Joey leaving the Spooner Middle School at approximately 11:15 a.m. on June 1, 2021, out the east door of the school by himself. Anyone living east of the school that may have video or Ring Doorbell video cameras are asked to review their footage or contact Washburn County Sheriff’s Office at 715-468-4700 or Spooner Police Department 715-635-3527.

Joey is currently listed as a runaway. Joey has run away in the past but not for this length of time. We have no information that Joey had been abducted. Joey did leave a note to one of his friends explaining his intent to run away. It appears that Joey also planned to run away from the school and brought supplies to take with him. At this time we have no information that Joey is in any type of danger or any reason to believe he was abducted.  With the current circumstances, this case does not meet the criteria for an Amber Alert.

Criteria for issuing an AMBER Alert:

1. Child must be 17 years of age or younger

2. Child must be in danger of serious bodily harm or death.

3. Initiating agency must have enough descriptive information about the child, the suspect, and/or the suspect vehicle to believe an immediate broadcast alert will help locate the child.

Note: The AMBER Alert system is not to be used for runaways or family abductions unless the child's life is in danger.

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UPDATE: Spooner Teenager Still Missing

WASHBURN COUNTY -- Joey Retzlaff, 14, remains missing since Tuesday. According to family, "every possibility of where he could be has turned up empty." Law Enforcement used thermal gear on Wednesday night but that did not result in locating the missing teenager, according to family.

If you have any information on where Joey might be, please contact either the Washburn County Sheriff's Office at 715-468-4700, or the Spooner Police Department at 715-635-3527.

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ALERT: Missing Teenager

WASHBURN COUNTY -- Joey Retzlaff (age 14) has been missing since approximately 11:15 am yesterday, Tuesday, June 1st, 2021, according to a post from the Washburn County Sheriff's Office Page. Joey was last seen wearing a dark gray long sleeve shirt and blue jeans.

Per Family:

Joey left Spooner middle school again on foot at 11:15 am. We found out around 3pm. We’ve been looking ever since. The K9 tried finding him but lost his scent by Best Western. If anyone sees him please please PLEASE contact the Washburn County Sheriffs office or Spooner Police Department immediately! We still have no idea where he is and he took nothing with him but the clothes on his back. He was wearing a dark Gray Nike long sleeve shirt with a partial zipper, no hood. Orange T-shirt underneath and jeans and red crocs. Joey is approximately 5’9 and 125/130 lbs. We put in a missing persons report and it’s now statewide.