VANISHED: What Happened to 17-Year-Old Zamien Benditt-Parkes?

It's alleged that on Sunday August 17, 2014 a friend received a text message from 17-year-old Zamien Parkes of Bradford County, PA. The message reportedly said that Zamien needed an ambulance. That was the last anyone has heard from the teen.

According to State Police in Towanda, Zamien's full name is Zamien Elijah Benditt-Parkes. He stands 6 feet 6 inches tall with brown hair and brown eyes and weighs about 120 pounds. Zamien was last seen on Tubach Pond Road in Wilmot Township, Bradford County wearing black shorts with a white strip. The date and time of Zamien's disappearance is listed between 11pm Saturday August 16th and 5:15am Sunday August 17th.

According to WENY, when they asked Zamien's adopted mom, Aelise Parkes what was going on, she wouldn't speak to them on camera, but off camera she told them quote:

"I know he is safe and this is just him looking for attention and I don't want to give it to him. This is not a case where he went to the grocery store for milk and disappeared."

State Police in Towanda seem to think Zamien's disappearance is more than a simple runaway situation though. On Wednesday, they reissued a public information release report.  When first reported missing, Zamien was listed as a runaway. State Police have now changed that status to endangered/missing.

According to the National Runaway Safeline, the terms ‘runaway’ and ‘missing’ are definitely not seen as meaning the same thing in the eyes of the law. The majority of youth who leave home without permission are seen as ‘runaways’ by law enforcement. Runaways are usually seen as youth who leave home by choice, are not in danger, may return home, and do not want to be found. ‘Missing’, on the other hand, implies an unexplained disappearance (voluntarily or involuntarily).

So, what happened? Where is Zamien? Why have the police elevated his case from a runaway to missing/endangered one? Anyone with information is asked to contact the State Police in Towanda at 570-265-2186.