INDIANAPOLIS – A 13-year-old girl, who was reported as a runaway by her family in Florida on Christmas Day 2023, was located in Indianapolis on Tuesday.
Detectives from the Indiana State Police (ISP) in Indianapolis were contacted Tuesday morning by law enforcement in Florida who were following a lead on the whereabouts of the teenager. They had information that led them to believe she may be in Indianapolis.
ISP investigators gathered enough information to apply for a search warrant for a residence on Strathmore Court in Indianapolis. When detectives searched inside they found the runaway juvenile, unharmed.
Investigators learned a 17-year-old male, along with two other adult males, had allegedly driven to Florida in December, picked up the teen, and brought her to Indiana. The 17-year-old boy and 13-year-old girl had met through social media. The 17-year-old was found in the home and arrested.
The runaway girl was turned over to the custody of the Marion County Juvenile Detention Center awaiting reunification with her family in Florida.
This investigation is ongoing and ISP detectives are working with the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office and authorities in Florida. The arrest of the 17-year-old boy was based upon probable cause developed through the investigative process. The charges are merely accusations and all suspects are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
