Texas Man Arrested in Connection with Disappearance of 12-Year-Old Houston Girl
A Texas man has been arrested and charged in connection with the disappearance of a 12-year-old girl from the Houston area who was missing for eight days before being found safe and well.
The girl disappeared on February 22 from her home near Houston. Police issued an Amber Alert Wednesday saying they believed she may have been trafficked.
Initially, authorities believed the girl had left alone, but new information led them to believe she may have been trafficked. Police also shared that the girl may have been on a social media app called Tagged, but did not provide further details on how it impacted their investigation.
The girl was found unharmed 117 miles from Houston in Columbus, Texas, police said Friday. She was taken to Texas Children’s Hospital for evaluation.
According to the Department of Justice, the girl is one of the 460,000 children who disappear annually in the United States.
In a post on Facebook, Columbus police mentioned they were informed on Friday afternoon that the missing girl was possibly within their city limits. The post stated, “Columbus Police attempted to arrest Sirterryon Preston, 27, of Houston, Texas, in reference to having possession of the missing minor.” Preston attempted to flee police custody but was captured and arrested. He was charged with evading and taken to the Colorado County Detention Center. More charges are pending further investigation by the FBI.
CNN reached out to the FBI in Houston for more information. Preston’s legal representation, if he has one, is not confirmed as of now.
This case sheds light on the dangers faced by children in the United States and the importance of swift and thorough investigative work to ensure their safety.