Two things that might keep every parent up at night are the thought of their child dying and the fear of potentially losing a child. There is nothing more devastating to a parent. I remember once my son was a little older, I started letting him wander further from me. We were in the aisle of a Michael’s store when I looked up and noticed he was gone. This feeling washed over me that was a mix of horror and dread.
I tried not to outwardly panic and called out his name. He naturally didn’t answer, so I began yelling out his description: blue shirt, green shorts, blond hair, until an employee called out, “Got him!” In those five seconds, I conjured up a worst-case scenario that makes my stomach hurt to even think of now. I simply can’t imagine how Kimberly Sanders felt when her teenage son disappeared for nearly five days.
Her 14-year-old seemed to completely vanish.
Landon Sanders seemingly vanished into thin air from his Texas home on May 12, 2026, People reported.
The Williamson County Sheriff’s Office The Williamson County Sheriff’s Office explained in a news release on Facebook where the 14-year-old had been just prior to his disappearance.
“Landon Sanders was last seen on an indoor security camera at his mother’s residence in the Brushy Creek neighborhood of Round Rock at 8:05 p.m. [local time] on Tuesday,” the release read. “He is believed to have run away on a black scooter.”
Landon had been wearing black pants and a white shirt with a black backpack while riding a black scooter.
He was spotted the following day on May 13, and his mom claimed in a Facebook post that Landon “was seen with two other boys that were thin, one with tattoos in the Forest Creek area.”
Kimberly did her best to provide authorities and the public with as many details as possible. “He doesn’t wear a helmet. Our scooters are in the garage but he could have stolen one,” she admitted in a comment on her post.
Although the mom had no idea where he was, the community rallied around her and offered their prayers and condolences in hopes of Landon’s safe return.
“Good I hope he’s okay. I shared this and will pray for him to be found soon and unharmed,” wrote one follower on her post, as did many, many others.
Luckily, after two agonizing days, Kimberly shared a positive update on May 15.
“Landon has been found and is okay!!! Thank you, everyone, for all of your help! We have the best community,” the mom joyfully wrote on Facebook.
The Child Crime Prevention and Safety Center notes that every 40 seconds, a child is reported missing or abducted in the United States. Although Landon’s story thankfully ended happily, many parents aren’t as lucky.
