Two Runaways Arrested After Attempting to Flee to San Francisco

Two runaways from St. Vincent’s School for Boys in Marinwood were arrested on suspicion of vehicle theft at 6:04 a.m. Sunday, according to Lt. Barry Heying.

A counselor at St. Vincent’s noticed the boys missing from their beds before 6 a.m. The counselor saw a van from their facility drive away and called the Marin County Sheriff. The two boys, ages 10 and 14, are accused of breaking into the staff office and stealing the keys for the van before they left the scene.

Deputies spotted the vehicle driving southbound on Highway 101, near Marin City. The van, with the 10-year-old at the wheel, was reported to be swerving from lane to lane without headlights. They were heading toward San Francisco.

The deputies stopped the van at Spencer Avenue and took the boys into custody. There was no damage and no one was hurt.

St. Vincent’s is a residential treatment home for boys from 7 to 17. Most children at St. Vincent’s have endured parental abuse.

It's not uncommon for children who've experienced abuse to "run away from people trying to help them," said Gabrielle Gallagher, communications officer for Catholic Charities CYO, the social services agency that runs St. Vincent's.

St. Vincent's offices and dorms are monitored 24 hours, according to Gallagher.

"We're just grateful that it ended without anyone getting hurt," she said.