Authorities finally found the missing Arizona teen in the basement of a convicted sex offender's home.
After meeting a teenage girl from Arizona on TikTok, a registered sexual offender from Utah used a delivery app to locate her address before kidnapping her last month.
Jordan Sorenson, 26, is facing charges of aggravated kidnapping and rape in connection with the incident.
The missing Arizona teen's father immediately reported the disappearance the next day, and the police are now stressing to parents how important it is to monitor their children's social media use.
Missing Arizona teen found in Utah
According to Fox News, a 14-year-old girl first encountered Sorenson when he frequently engaged with and commented on her TikTok videos.
They then started talking to each other on another platform, Snapchat. Sorenson obtained the girl's address when she requested food delivery through a social media app.
According to detectives, he drove for eight hours to meet her in Arizona on January 27. The teenager left to meet Sorenson but had no intention of going with him.
However, Sorenson's presence made her feel unsafe when he arrived at her home, and he threatened her with negative consequences if she ignored him or tried to leave.
AZ Family reported that according to authorities, Sorenson took the girl to a motel in Arizona, disabled her phone's tracking capabilities by putting it in airplane mode, and later took her to Las Vegas, where he got rid of her phone, bought her new clothes and a new phone, among other things.
Sorenson drove the 14-year-old to his residence in West Valley, Utah, and instructed her to deceive his roommates about her age. He also made her conceal herself in his room when his probation officer came over. Meanwhile, the girl's father immediately reported her missing on January 28, the day she vanished, after realizing she was gone.
In June 2020, Sorenson was found guilty of a first-degree felony, aggravated sexual extortion, and was on probation when these new crimes were committed. He is listed on Utah's sex offender registry.
According to court documents, in 2017, he was convicted of engaging in sexual acts with a 13-year-old girl in Colorado after befriending her in Wyoming.
Parents advised monitoring children's social media
Inside Edition reported that per the Mohave County Sheriff's Office, the missing teenager was on probation and wore an ankle monitor.
Deputy Senior Probation Officer DeShae Fangmeyer stated that they would never have located the girl if it weren't for the monitor. It was active for several hours before it was removed.
Fangmeyer expressed that the situation was heart-wrenching and not something that should happen to any child. The victim was then placed under the care of a victim's advocate from the Attorney General's office.
In light of the recent occurrence, the Mohave County Sheriff's Office strongly advises that parents always keep an eye on what their children are doing on social media.
In addition, the officers mentioned that it is in everyone's best interest to have a conversation with them about the risks associated with human trafficking.
Social media can play a significant role in children's lives, both positively and negatively. On the one hand, it can help children connect with friends and family, learn new things, and express themselves creatively.
On the other hand, it can also expose them to online predators, cyberbullying, and other dangers. This shows how important it is for parents to keep an eye on what their kids do online and talk to them openly and honestly about internet safety.
By being aware of what their children are doing online, parents can help protect them from potential harm and ensure they have a safe and positive experience on social media.
