12-Year-Old Girl Found After Missing More Than a Week; 27-Year-Old Man Arrested

A 12-year-old Texas girl missing for more than a week after she was last seen getting into a pickup truck near her home has been found.

E’Minie Hughes was found in Columbus, about 70 miles from her home in the Houston suburb of Missouri City, KRIV reported.

Columbus Police said they found the girl with Sirterryon Preston, 27, at about 12:40 p.m. on Friday, KTRK reported. Preston tried to get away, they said, but officers chased him down. He was being held on an evading charge, but police said more charges are pending.

Hughes was taken to Texas Children’s Hospital for an evaluation.

According to KRIV, Houston police said while Hughes was still missing that she may have been on a dating app called Tagged.  She was seen walking along the side of her house at about 1:40 a.m. on February 22, then getting into a dark colored Dodge pickup truck, as CrimeOnline reported. The truck turned around in the cul-de-sac and left.

The FBI was involved in the search for Hughes, and Houston Police said earlier this week they were concerned the girl may have been sex trafficked.

An Amber Alert issued for Hughes was canceled.

For the latest true crime and justice news, subscribe to the ‘Crime Stories with Nancy Grace’ podcast.

[Featured image: Sirterryon Preston/Columbus Police Department]