NORTH MIAMI BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - A teenager who disappeared from her North Miami Beach home has been located in another state, bringing a sigh of relief to her concerned mother.
North Miami Beach Police said 15-year-old Jeimy Henrriquez was playing a video game when she began chatting with a stranger, Saturday morning.
She then grabbed her bag and cellphone and left in the man’s vehicle.
“Information was received that this young lady was playing a game, ‘Fire MAX,’ was chatting with an older gentleman and made arrangements somehow to meet this older gentleman,” said North Miami Beach Police Chief Richard Rand. “This older gentleman, and I really use that word lightly, came to North Miami Beach and picked up this young girl, at [15] years old. How disgusting.”
Hours later, Henrriquez called her mom crying, saying she was far from home and that she hadn’t eaten.
Investigators were able to ping the phone call and located her in another state on Sunday, within 48 hours of her disappearance.
Investigators said they tracked the teen’s phone to North Carolina but have not specified where she was located.
Her mother, Ana Quintanilla, was shaken but relieved to receive the news. She said she has spoken with her daughter a couple of times since she was found.
“Well, thank God. Feeling a little better because they found my daughter and she’s OK,” she said through a translator.
Quintanilla also said she is very grateful for the work done by North Miami Beach Police.
“This is a stark reminder during this holiday season that we have to be very mindful of what our children are doing on the internet,” said Rand.
“My advice is for parents to be more responsible with your children so this doesn’t happen to them,” said Quintanilla.
North Miami Beach, the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI are now working together to help find the person or people responsible and lock them up.
“To see something like this is just absolutely despicable. We are looking for these individuals, and we will not stop until these individuals are caught,” said Rand.
Police have not released any information on a suspect or suspects in this case. It remains unclear whether or not there has been an arrest.
“This is true life. This is what happens in real life,” said Rand. “Fortunately for Jeimy, we were able to find her alive.”
7News has learned Henrriquez has boarded a plane and is expected to arrive in South Florida late Monday night.
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