VAN BUREN COUNTY (WWJ) - A teen girl who disappeared after leaving her residence in Washington State almost a month ago was safely reunited with her family this week after she was found at the home of a West Michigan sex offender.
Washington's Mount Vernon Police Department said in an update to social media they worked alongside the Van Buren County Sheriff's Office in Michigan to trace the whereabouts of 14-year-old Ella Jones and located her unharmed on Thursday, Feb. 1, at a home off Blue Star Memorial Highway in South Haven.
Jones went missing during the overnight hours on Jan. 6 after authorities said she voluntarily left her home in the 2200 block of N. 20th Pl. in Mount Vernon, Wash.
According to her mother, the 14-year-old girl appeared to have packed clothing in a large backpack. She did not contact family or friends when she left.
Then, on Jan. 30th, the Mount Vernon PD said they received information that Jones may have been lured away by a man named "Keith," who had been mentioned publicly before.
Police were able to determine the identity of "Keith" after investigating ways Jones could've traveled from home.
"Mount Vernon has limited ride share options, so investigators were able to locate a particular ride that Ella might have taken," the police in Washington said. "Investigators were able to then identify the subject 'Keith' who ordered that ride share for her and his address in South Haven, Michigan."
Based on their investigation, they believed the teen traveled cross multiple states to Michigan, which supported probable cause for second-degree kidnapping. They then contacted the Van Buren County Sheriff's Office for assistance in the case.
West Michigan deputies went to the South Haven address where they found the missing girl and the 30-year-old male suspect.
The man -- whose identity was not provided -- was arrested and his currently being held on Michigan charges of Criminal Sexual Misconduct in the 1st Degree, Sex Offender -- Failure to Comply with Registration Act and Children -- Contributing to Delinquency.
"Due to multiple locations and jurisdictions involved, formal criminal charging is still being coordinated between the agencies," police added.
The girl's parents were immediately notified that she had been found and were said to be "elated" with the news.
An investigation into the incident remains ongoing with no further details released.