Missing Virginia teen found safe nearly 24 hours after CODI Alert issued

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Virginia State Police issued a CODI Alert for 14-year-old Noah Crooks after he went missing Wednesday evening from his home on Iversen Drive in Chantilly. 

Nearly 24 hours later, Noah was found safe, according to the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office. 

The sheriff's office shared the update around 8:45 p.m. Thursday. 

Virginia teen found safe

The backstory:

While Noah was gone, authorities were concerned he may have had a large knife and could pose a threat to his health and safety. They asked people to be cautious if they spotted him. 

Noah is described as 5-foot-8, 150 pounds, with blond hair and blue eyes. 

The sheriff's office had asked residents near the 26000 block of Springdale Drive to check their security footage for any sightings, however, i's unclear if any surveillance footage was used to locate Noah. 

Virginia State Senator Kannan Srinivasan was concerned. He helped spread the word on social media while Noah was missing. 

What is a CODI Alert? 

The Virginia Critical Operation for a Disappeared Child Initiative (CODI) Alert Program is an alert system designed to efficiently inform the public of information regarding a missing child whose disappearance poses a credible threat, as determined by a law enforcement investigation.

Virginia criteria for activating a CODI Alert? 

Each law enforcement agency should investigate the matter to verify the disappearance and eliminate alternative explanations where evidence is lacking. Information must be established to meet the definition of a missing or endangered child.  Also, sufficient information must be available to disseminate to the public to assist in locating the missing child, including a vehicle if there is one, to activate the alert. Elements for a missing or endangered child: Any person 17 years of age or younger or who is currently enrolled in a secondary school in the Commonwealth; whose whereabouts are unknown, and whose disappearance is under suspicious circumstances or poses a credible threat as determined by law enforcement to the safety and health of the child, or based on any other circumstances as deemed appropriate by the Virginia State Police.