Parents plead for public's help in finding missing son Nathan Cauley last seen in Lantana

LANTANA — The Michigan parents of a 23-year-old man who has disappeared from his home at a Lantana-based half-way house appealed Wednesday afternoon for the public's help in finding him.

Nathan Cauley has been missing since Dec. 23.

His mother, Sue Cauley, pushed back tears as she described speaking to him the day before he disappeared and learning on Christmas Day that he had gone missing.

Police have recovered Nate's prize possession - a Dell laptop - from a pawn shop in Delray Beach where he had sold it for $100.

Cauley had been in Palm Beach County at various half-way houses trying to address his problem with alcohol, his parents said. He had relapses and may be depressed, said his father, Pat Cauley.

"We are hoping he just wanted to get away and used that money to do it," his father said.

But the couple said it was unlike their son to have no contacts via phone, text or email with his numerous friends.

He has a tattoo on his upper right back of a four-leaf clover. The dates "6-28-11" and "6-29-11" appear on either side of the clover.

Anyone with information is asked to contact to the Lantana Police Department at (561) 540-5701, or Detective Todd Dwyer at (561)