DEARBORN HEIGHTS (WWJ) -- Dearborn Heights police are praising the community for helping them track down a teenage girl who had been missing for weeks.
Dearborn Heights police, in partnership with the US Marshals Office, had been working nonstop in their search for 16-year-old Tasia Keaton, who ran away from the Vista Maria youth home back on March 14.
After numerous public tips, Police Chief Ahmed Haider said Keaton was found in good condition on Wednesday, having been staying with the 62-year-old Dearborn Heights man who is now in police custody for more than a month.
Tips, Haider told reporters, led detectives to the man's home in the area of Inkster and Warren roads, where Keaton was recovered.
"The disturbing thing about this individual (the 62-year-old man) is when we first received tips that she could have possibly been in this area; we received a tip that said they saw her last in this area near a car wash," Haider said.
"Our detectives from Dearborn Heights went out to that location location in search for her and we're canvassing the area, interviewing different businesses and talking to different people and trying to find out had anybody seen Tasia. He is one of the individuals that we did speak to at the time who denied seeing her," Haider said.
The chief added that investigators do not believe the man was forcing Keaton to stay with him.
"She was doing so, they believe voluntarily," WWJ Newsradio 950's Jon Hewett reported. "They believe that man may have had sexual relations with her."
It's not yet clear if the man could face any sort of child sexual abuse charges, noting that 16 is the age of consent in Michigan. Possible charges against the man include lying to police.
His citizenship also being reviewed, according to the chief.
Keaton was interviews by police and is now in the care of Child Protective Services.