DEXTER, Mich. (WXYZ) — The Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office has confirmed that the Dexter student they were worried was lured away from their family has been found safe.
According to a Facebook post, the sheriff's office says additional details will be shared at a later time.
The FBI later released the following statement from SAC James A. Tarasca:
Early this afternoon, as a result of a joint investigation between the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office, FBI Detroit's Ann Arbor Resident Agency, and FBI Cleveland's Marion Resident Agency, Ea Kuhr was located safe and unharmed. This is the best possible outcome for the many people who have been concerned about Ea's safety.
I would like to thank the detectives, deputies, special agents, intelligence analysts and many others from each of these agencies who have been working nonstop since yesterday afternoon, when Ea was reported missing. The swift resolution to this investigation could not have happened without all their hard work.
I would also like to thank the community for calling in tips and providing information to the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office. While we appreciate the public interest in this investigation, out of respect for Ea's privacy, we will not be releasing additional information at this time.
Authorities originally believed the teen was groomed by a stranger they met online.
Just last week in Springfield Township, an online encounter turned violent for one 14-year-old.
RELATED: Local teen stabbed for allegedly refusing to have sex with Illinois man she met online
This separate and unrelated case is a stark reminder of the dangers that can exist online.
RELATED: Mom of local teen stabbed by man she met online shares warning of how she was targeted
Police say an 18-year-old man traveled from Illinois to the 14-year-old's home and attempted to have sex with the minor then allegedly stabbed her multiple times when she refused.
The girl was alone at the time and is expected to recover. Her mother says the suspect, who’s now facing criminal charges, pretended to be 16 and convinced her daughter to share their home address.
"All he did was say, 'Hey, if I'm ever in Michigan, I'll come and look you up and we can hang out.' That was it. General friendly talking. Nothing to exploit about sexual encounters or any of that stuff," the mother said on the phone.
"Be nosy, if you have a child spending an inordinate amount of time on their phone, online gaming. That should raise a red flag."
