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Suffolk County Police have announced an arrest in connection with the disappearance of a 14-year-old Patchogue girl, who was found on a boat in Islip after being missing for nearly a month.
The teen vanished Dec. 9, after leaving her home without shoes or a jacket and getting into a car outside her family’s residence. She was later seen on surveillance footage at a Bohemia motel before disappearing again.
Her father led an extensive search, publicly expressing fears on his social media accounts and in interviews with the general media that she was being held against her will. On Friday, following an anonymous tip, the father said he located his daughter alone on a boat docked in a marina near the White Cap Fish Market in Islip.
She was found in good health and is currently receiving care in a facility.
Editor’s note: In an effort to keep the minor’s name out of the news as the story surrounding her disappearance develops, Greater Long Island is only identifying the youth as a 14-year-old girl from Patchogue.
Police did not release further details about the case, referring inquiries about the arrest to Suffolk District Attorney Raymond Tierney, whose office was actively involved in the search for the teenager.
But News12 Long Island reported Monday night that according to court documents obtained by the media outlet, a 64-year-old man was arrested Friday for allegedly abducting a girl and restraining her on his boat, named “Phoenix.” The man faces kidnapping, endangering the welfare of a child and other charges, according to News12.
The girl’s father told News12 that the man and “the group of people that are involved with him all need to go away.” The Patchogue dad has posted information on his Facebook page about the defendant mentioned in News12’s report.
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A parent’s immense relief
The girl’s father has expressed immense relief at his daughter’s safe return and gratitude for the community’s support during the search, noting in videos that his daughter was held against her will and “forced to do things that a 14-year-old girl shouldn’t have to do.” He has also indicated a desire to assist other families facing similar situations, emphasizing the importance of vigilance against predators targeting children.
