A missing south Florida teen located in North Carolina has safely been reunited with family, police say.
Jeimy Henrriquez, 15, left her home in North Miami Beach Saturday morning with someone she met while playing Free Fire Max, police said. Authorities said they don’t know the name of the person who picked up the teen, but she took her book bag and cellphone with her.
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“This older gentleman, and I really use that word lightly, came to North Miami Beach and picked up this young girl” North Miami Beach Police Chief Richard Rand said. “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.”
Around 10 p.m. Saturday, she called her mother, weeping that she was hungry and was far from home. She then hung up. Detectives were able to ping the call to North Carolina, police said. The alert did not identify the area in North Carolina where the phone pinged.
“We went to get gas and he was with his friend, brother and sister-in-law,” Henrriquez said. “We were there a while and then left. I called my mom to tell her I was OK, and the next day I called her again to send her the address to where I was.”
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Missing Florida teen found after being picked up by someone she met on video game, called mom in tears
“I’m happy that she’s back home and grateful to God too,” the victim’s mother Ana Quintanilla told WSVN. “She started crying when she saw me and we hugged. I know she regrets it.”
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Henrriquez now suggests those her age think about what they’re doing and to not leave home with someone they met online.
No additional details have been made available, including if any arrests have or will be made.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
