Three New Jersey teens who vanished from a train station and led officers on a multi-state search were found safe in Connecticut — but not before two of them ran from police trying to bring them home.
Story Snapshot
- Brayden Morrissey, 14, Dominic Diliberto, 14, and William Connolly, 17, disappeared from Denville Train Station in New Jersey on Friday evening.
- Metropolitan Transportation Authority officers found 17-year-old Connolly in Stamford, Connecticut, on Saturday and took him into protective custody.
- The two 14-year-olds ran from officers but were found in Stamford just after 8 p.m. Saturday — all three boys are now safe.
- Police say the boys left on their own and found no signs of foul play or danger to others.
Three Boys Vanish, Search Spans Two States
The three teens left an undisclosed location in Montville Township, New Jersey, on Thursday night. Police launched an extensive search using K-9 units and drones before shifting to a missing persons investigation. The boys were spotted on security cameras at Denville Train Station around 5:30 p.m. Friday. From there, they traveled more than 50 miles northeast into Connecticut, where Metropolitan Transportation Authority officers spotted them at a Stamford train station Saturday afternoon.[2]
Montville Township Police Department Chief Andrew Caggiano said officers took 17-year-old William Connolly into protective custody in Stamford on Saturday. The two younger boys, Brayden Morrissey and Dominic Diliberto, both 14, ran from officers at the scene. Authorities tracked them down in Stamford just after 8 p.m. the same day.[1] Chief Caggiano said his department stayed in constant contact with the boys’ parents throughout the search.[2]
Police: No Foul Play, Boys Appeared to Leave Willingly
Chief Caggiano told Fox News Digital that the boys appeared to have left on their own. “We don’t have anything to say that they’re dangerous to themselves or others,” he said. “It’s just because of their age, and they were listed as missing persons — we’re just following a missing persons investigation.”[2] Police found no evidence of outside threats or criminal activity connected to the disappearance.
Before all three were found, authorities warned that the boys were moving “further and further away from Montville,” a suburb about 30 miles west of New York City. The Montville Township Police Department led the investigation and worked closely with Metropolitan Transportation Authority officers in Stamford. Police urged any agency that spotted the teens to contact Montville Township immediately rather than act alone.[2]
A Reminder of Real Dangers Facing Teens Who Run
This case ended well, but it highlights a real risk. Teens who run and travel alone through transit systems can end up in serious danger fast. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children reports that roughly 550,000 missing children cases are filed in the U.S. each year.[9] The majority are runaways, but a small number involve trafficking or other threats. Police often must treat any missing juvenile seriously until the facts are clear — which is exactly what Montville Township officers did here.
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Montville Township Police Chief Andrew Caggiano confirmed to Fox News Digital that Brayden Morrissey, 14, Dominic Diliberto, 14, and William Connolly, 17, initially left an undisclosed location in Montville Township, New Jersey, on Thursday night, June 25, 2026.…— JV (@joveg8) June 28, 2026
The fact that the two 14-year-olds ran from officers raises questions that may not be fully answered in public reports. No statements from the teens themselves have been released. Police have not said whether the boys explained why they left or where they were headed. Parents and families deserve full answers. For now, the most important fact is that all three boys are safe and back with their families.[1]
Sources:
[1] Web – 3 missing teens located after vanishing from New Jersey train station
[2] Web – Three missing teens located after vanishing from New Jersey train …
[9] Web – Three missing teens located after vanishing from New Jersey train …