A 12-year-old Turlock boy who had been missing since Monday afternoon was found safe at a home in Ceres.

Turlock Police investigators found Francisco Chacon at a friend’s house in Ceres almost 24 hours after he went missing.

Investigators were speaking with Chacon Tuesday afternoon. It is unknown how he made his way to Ceres after last being seen around 3 p.m. Monday in the area of Canal Drive and Soderquist Road.

According to Chacon’s aunt, Connie Millsap, he left home after a family disagreement, but that it was very uncharacteristic of him to be out after nightfall.

In the search for Chacon, the Turlock Police Department launched “A Child is Missing” system. The computerized mapping application works like a reverse 911 system. In this case it called more than 1,500 homes within a one-mile radius of Chacon’s last known whereabouts, alerting residents to the disappearance and giving his description.

To contact Sabra Stafford, e-mail sstafford@turlockjournal.com or call 634-9141 ext. 2002.