A missing North Carolina teen has been found and two men arrested on trafficking and kidnapping charges.
The missing 15-year-old girl, from Spring Lake, was found at a home in Kitty Hawk, some 250 miles away, Thursday morning, according to WTVD.
Elihue Martin Mahler, 31, and Austyn Lee Cole, 23, have been charged with human trafficking of a child victim, kidnapping, conspiracy to kidnap, and conspiracy to traffic. They are expected in court on Friday for arraignment.
Harnett County Sheriff Wayne Coats said the girl met one of the suspects online before her disappearance. She was taken to a hospital for an evaluation before being returned to her family.
“No minor goes willing,” said Philip VanWyngarden, FBI assistant special agent. “Anytime you got a minor engaging with a predator online and they do something in the real world, or for that matter they do something online, they are minors — they’re victims … they’re being manipulated.”
VanWyngarden said agencies used technology to track the teen, who had been taken to Virginia Beach before going to Kitty Hawk.
The Amber Alert issued for the girl was canceled after she was located.
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[Featured image: Austyn Lee Cole and Elihue Martin Mahler/North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation]