A missing juvenile girl from Memphis, Tennessee, has been located and saved after she was allegedly found at a man’s home in North Carolina, police confirmed.
The Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office revealed in a press release on Monday, March 2, that they received a report about a girl from Memphis who was initially reported missing on Sunday, March 1.
The girl’s parents reported the child missing to the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office in Tennessee, and authorities quickly launched an investigation into her whereabouts.
The Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office said that authorities located the girl with 27-year-old Dakota Wayne Vettor at a residence in Stoneville, North Carolina.
“Shelby County Sheriff’s Office was immediately notified of the juvenile being located, as were her parents,” the release stated.
The statement continued, “The juvenile was questioned in regard to her being reported missing and the Rockingham County Department of Social Services was contacted, as was the Rockingham County District Attorney’s Office.”
After the girl was taken into custody with the Rockingham County Department of Social Services, she reunited with her parents and went home with them.
Authorities have not publicly revealed the girl’s age or name because she is a minor. Her parents’ identities have also not been shared with the public.
In court documents obtained by Charlotte Observer, it was revealed that the girl went missing from her parents’ home on Saturday, February 28. She was reported missing one day later when her parents went to the authorities.
It is not currently known how the girl got to Vettor’s home or if they knew each other prior to the incident. Vettor’s home is located about 10 hours away from where she lives with her family.
Police have also not shared how they tracked the girl to Vettor’s home or what the recovery process looked like.
Florida deputies rescued a missing juvenile when they pulled over a man on New Year’s Eve. The driver, Darnell Hairston, tried to escape during the traffic stop the morning of Wednesday, December 31 along U.S. Highway 1 in Flagler County, which is in northeastern Florida, the county sheriff’s office said in a news release issued […]
The Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office said that authorities interviewed Vettor about the situation before he was charged with felony abduction of children. Details from the interview have not been publicly revealed.
After he spoke to authorities, Vettor was then taken into custody at Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office Detention Facility. He is currently being held there without a bond, according to the press release.
Vettor is scheduled to appear in Rockingham County District Court on March 10 during a hearing set for 8:55 a.m.
It is not currently clear if Vettor has entered a plea or retained legal representation following his arrest.
“This matter is still under investigation at this time by both the Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office and the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office in Tennessee,” the Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.
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Officials also added that they expect for Vettor to be hit with more charges as the investigation into the situation continues.
The sheriff’s office concluded its statement in the news release by thanking the “Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, the Rockingham County District Attorney’s Office, and the Rockingham County Department of Social Services for their assistance in this matter.”
If you know of a young person who is being exploited or are the victim of a crime, you are urged to report it to your local FBI field office by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI. Tips can also be left at tips.fbi.gov
