Key Points
- A 10-year-old boy who got off his school bus this afternoon is now missing. Prince Carter was a fifth grade student at High Mount School in Swansea, Ill., according to news reports.
- The St. Clair County Emergency Management Agency says Prince was last spotted at about 2pm near Pawnee Drive & North 2nd Street. He’s 4ft 10in tall with black-rimmed glasses. He was wearing a grey hooded sweatshirt and had a backpack.
- Prince’s dad called the cops around 4:30pm as he was worried about his son failing to show up for home. With canines out, police combed through areas close to Pawnee and Second street during Wednesday evening. It has just come to light Swansea Police confirmed they had found Prince safely earlier this morning.
- According to police, a community member spotted Prince walking on the street close to where he lives around 5:20am, then alerted authorities. He was medically assessed but suffered from no injuries, having been reunited with his family.
- There was also “no indication of foul-play” according to authorities, who reported that Prince told them he’d spent the night sleeping in a shed – a claim which wasn’t confirmed.
- But authorities haven’t yet given details about where he was found or why he didn’t go home right after getting off the bus.
Swansea (Wales Times) November 06, 2026 — A 10-year-old uk/local/swansea/">Swansea pupil who prompted an overnight police search after failing to return home from his school bus stop has been found safe, according to Swansea Police. Prince Carter, a fifth-grade student at High Mount School, was located shortly before 6 a.m. on Thursday after being reported missing the previous afternoon.
As reported by First Alert 4, the search began after the school said Prince got off the bus after classes on Wednesday but did not reach home. His father became concerned and called police at approximately 4:30 p.m., the outlet reported.
The St. Clair County Emergency Management Agency said Prince was last seen at around 2 p.m. in the area of Pawnee Drive and North 2nd Street. As reported by KSDK, he was described as 4 feet 10 inches tall, wearing black-rimmed glasses and a grey hooded sweatshirt, and carrying a backpack.
How did the search unfold?
Swansea police asked members of the public to contact them at 618-233-8114 or call 911 with any information. First Alert 4 reported that, by Wednesday evening, officers were searching with canine units near the area of Pawnee and Second Street.
High Mount School also shared information with families and the wider Swansea community. According to the Belleville News-Democrat, High Mount School District 116 Superintendent April Becherer said in a letter that Prince had still not been found as of 10:30 p.m. on Wednesday.
FOX 2 earlier reported that officials urged anyone who may have seen the child, or who had information about his whereabouts, to call 911 or contact High Mount School immediately at 618-233-1054.
Where was Prince Carter found?
Swansea Police confirmed to First Alert 4 shortly before 6 a.m. on Thursday that Prince had been found and was safe. In a press conference on Thursday morning, police said a member of the community found him at about 5:20 a.m. while out doing laundry and searching in the area.
As reported by First Alert 4, the resident found Prince walking on a street near his residence and called police. He was medically evaluated and was reported to have no injuries. Police said he had been reunited with his family.
The Belleville News-Democrat quoted a Swansea Police Department release as saying: “We are happy to report that Prince has been located relatively close to his home and in good shape.” The department added that emergency medical personnel were assessing him as a precaution and that there was “no indication of foul play in this case”.
What do police know about why he disappeared?
Police have not publicly explained why Prince did not return home after leaving the school bus. First Alert 4 reported that officers were working to establish why he did not make it home from the bus, and that Prince told police he had slept in a shed overnight, although officers did not know where.
The Belleville News-Democrat reported that police had not disclosed where Prince was located or what led to his disappearance. No arrest, criminal allegation or suspicion of abduction has been announced by authorities in the information publicly released so far.
What did officials ask the public to do?
During the search, authorities asked residents to report sightings or information promptly rather than attempt to locate the child themselves. FOX 2 reported that officials sought the community’s assistance and directed tips to High Mount School or emergency services.
Swansea police separately provided a direct police contact number, 618-233-8114, alongside the 911 emergency line, according to KSDK. The requests came as officers concentrated their search around the bus drop-off area near Pawnee Drive and North 2nd Street.
Background of the development
High Mount School is part of High Mount School District 116, a public school district in Swansea in St Clair County, Illinois. The district’s handbook identifies it as serving the Swansea community in St Clair County.
The case followed an earlier missing-juvenile search in the area. As reported by Hoodline, Swansea Police Chief Matthew Blomberg said in October 2024 that 14-year-old Lena Mostafa, who had been reported missing after last being seen at Belleville East High School, had been located and was safe.
In that earlier case, Chief Blomberg said no further details would be released, according to the Belleville News-Democrat, as cited by Hoodline. There is no indication in the available reporting that the two cases were connected.
Prediction: what this means for Swansea families
For parents, carers and school communities in Swansea, the episode is likely to renew attention on the period between a child leaving the school bus and arriving home. The confirmed facts show that a rapid report from a parent, a coordinated police response and a tip from a local resident led to Prince being found within roughly 13 hours of the initial missing-person report.
For High Mount School families, the development may prompt closer communication with bus drivers, schools and neighbours about arrival routines, particularly for younger pupils. Authorities have not announced any policy change, but the case demonstrates how quickly local alerts, canine searches and community reports can become part of a missing-child response.
For the wider Swansea community, the outcome is likely to reinforce the importance of reporting sightings immediately to police rather than sharing unverified information. The police department’s public statements emphasised that Prince was found close to home, was in good condition and that there was no indication of foul play, while leaving open the question of why he did not return home after the bus journey.
