A teen girl from upstate New York voluntarily left school on Thursday and was reported missing to authorities.
After a lengthy investigation, authorities were able to locate 16-year-old EmmaLynne Lasher in Pennsylvania over the weekend, reuniting her with her family in Amsterdam while arresting the man she allegedly fled New York with.
It is every parent’s greatest fear to discover that their child has gone missing, whether for a few minutes, hours, or days; every precious second counts when attempting to return them home.
Found in Pennsylvania
On March 27th, the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office received a complaint of a missing 16-year-old female student from Amsterdam High School.
The youngster “voluntarily” exited the school with an adult male acquaintance.
Family relatives and friends shared her photo and name on social media, and the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office says suggestions and leads led them to search sections of New York, New Jersey, and Delaware before finding her in Pennsylvania.
Numerous Leads and Tips Leads to Arrest
According to the police report, the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office found both parties in New Milford, Pennsylvania, on Sunday, March 30th, at around 3:00 PM, which is roughly 2 hours and 20 minutes southwest of Amsterdam.
Lasher was reunited with her family in Amsterdam, while Antonio Valls, the 19-year-old man who police believe she was with, was arrested.
According to the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, Valls was arrested and charged with one count of endangering the welfare of a child.
Valls was arraigned in the Town of Amsterdam Court and discharged pending a future court appearance. The investigation into this incident is ongoing, and additional charges may be filed.