Jason Mata, 12, found safe after going missing, cops say

A 12-year-old Hempstead boy who went missing on Friday has been found safe, Nassau County police said Monday.

Jason Mata showed up at his school on Monday, a police spokeswoman said. She declined to identify the boy’s school.

Nassau police had been seeking the public’s help in finding the boy, who had been last seen in the company of two males after leaving school on Friday.

Police said Jason called an unknown person from his school bus driver’s phone on Friday, saying he had something to do after school. Police said Jason does not have his own cellphone.

By Nicole Fuller

nicole.fuller@newsday.com@NicoleFuller

Nicole Fuller is Newsday's senior criminal justice reporter. She began working at Newsday in 2012 and previously covered local government.