Fernandina Beach Police honor teen for quick action in missing person case

The Fernandina Beach City Commission on Tuesday formally recognized 14-year-old Bentley Sapp for his quick thinking and compassion that helped locate a missing woman with dementia during a December incident on the south end of the city.

On Dec. 12, 2025, officers with the Fernandina Beach Police Department and the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office, including Deputy T. Osborne, responded to a missing person call at Zaxby’s on 14th Street. While law enforcement was being notified, Sapp was riding his bicycle in the restaurant’s parking lot and overheard family members frantically searching for their loved one.

According to police, Sapp immediately obtained a description of the missing woman and rode his bicycle in the direction where she had last been seen. He soon encountered Deputy Osborne, relayed the information, and continued searching on his own.

As FBPD and NCSO launched an investigation, dispatch advised that the missing woman had been spotted near Bealls several blocks away. When officers arrived, Sapp told them he had located the woman outside the store, where she was crying and visibly distressed. He found a bystander with a cellphone to call 911 and remained with the woman, comforting her until officers and her family arrived.

Officials said it was cold outside at the time, and the situation could have ended far worse without Sapp’s actions.

The woman’s family, along with the Fernandina Beach Police Department and the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office, publicly thanked Sapp for his swift response, bravery and genuine concern for the safety of a stranger.

Police Chief Jeffrey Tambasco presented Sapp with a plaque during the City Commission meeting, recognizing his remarkable crisis response, strong character and compassion for the health and safety of others.

City commissioners praised Sapp’s actions as an example of the positive role community members can play in public safety, noting that his willingness to act without hesitation helped ensure a vulnerable resident was safely reunited with her family.

The incident has also been highlighted by regional media and law enforcement agencies, drawing attention to Sapp’s role in the successful outcome and underscoring the importance of community awareness when vulnerable individuals go missing.