A 13-year-old Edmonton girl who disappeared more than a week ago has been found safe in Oregon, where a man suspected in her disappearance has been arrested.
Edmonton police say the teen was found Saturday morning after an investigation that involved 10 different law enforcement agencies, including the FBI.
Her family was informed of her whereabouts early Saturday and family members boarded a flight to begin making their way to Oregon a few hours later, according to a family spokesperson.
The girl’s parents posted to Facebook Saturday evening saying they are relieved and grateful for the public’s support and tips, which investigators say numbered in the hundreds. They also praised police for their efforts.
“We are bringing our baby home,” the post said. “While we have a healing journey ahead, we are focused on seeing and embracing our daughter and getting her back home.”
The teen was taken to a children’s hospital in Oregon for a precautionary examination, police said.
In a statement, the FBI’s Portland field office said 41-year-old Noah Madrano was taken into custody early Saturday morning in Oregon City, a community 20 km up the Willamette River from Portland.
Edmonton police said the accused is being charged with child luring and that further charges could follow. Oregon City police said he is being held in Clackamas County Jail on state charges.
The girl went missing on June 24 after leaving her Edmonton home for school. Postmedia is not identifying her by name now that she has been found.
Police said they believe the suspect was in Mission, B.C., outside of Vancouver, for between three and four days.
Police in Abbotsford, B.C., said they obtained CCTV footage Friday at the request of EPS showing the girl at a fast food restaurant about five kilometres from the Sumas border crossing into Washington state.
When Abbotsford officers arrived, the girl and suspect had already left.
Edmonton police said the two met through social media. They didn’t identify the platform that was used, but said the online history records obtained by investigators support the child luring charge.
It’s also unclear how they managed to cross the border.
“It’s still early in the investigation to establish how contact was made between this individual and (the girl) and again whether he came here with the sole purpose of taking her back to the United States, which is what we believe occurred,” said EPS Insp. Brent Dahlseide.
“We would be speculating to say that they crossed together. But I do know that they relocated together again in the U.S. once they gained entry.”
U.S. Customs and Border Protection did not respond to a request for comment Saturday. The Canada Border Services Agency, meanwhile, said it is primarily responsible for processing people and goods entering Canada.
Edmonton police have faced questions about why an Amber Alert was not issued in the case.
“At the initial stages of this investigation, there was no evidence to suggest she was with someone, so this file did not meet the criteria,” Staff Sgt. James Vanderland of the Edmonton police historical crimes section said in a Saturday news release, noting Amber Alerts require a suspect’s identity, location and vehicle description.
Dahlseide said by the time police gathered that information and were preparing an Amber alert, it soon became apparent the pair was no longer in Canada.
“When we were able to identify the suspect male and a potential vehicle and started to work towards the Amber Alert, the wheels really started to turn on the investigation and started to pick up speed,” he said.
