Missing mentally ill teen located after his arrest in Santa Ana

A mentally ill Orange County teen who had been missing since his release from jail  this month has been located, after he was arrested by Santa Ana police, his family said.

Matthew Hoff's family posted on the Facebook page "Matthew We Miss You Please Come Home" that the missing teen had been arrested Tuesday by Santa Ana police.

"Matthew is OK!" the post said.

"It is great news and we will be able to sleep tonight knowing our son is safe. BUT ... it's just the beginning again with this CYCLE that does not quit."

Hoff, 18, was apparently arrested on suspicion of having narcotics, his family wrote in a Facebook post, and later confirmed by email.

His family and authorities have been searching for him since he was released from a 60-day jail stay at 4 a.m. on Feb. 7.

His mother told The Times that Hoff had been in custodial treatment for severe mental illness for most of his adolescence, but had to leave the system when he turned 18. During the two-month jail term for taking things from a neighbor's car, his family said, he went off of his medication.

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-- Rick Rojas

 Photo: Matthew Hoff. Credit: Family photo