On June 13, the Monee Police Department received information of a newly created Facebook account that was linked to a juvenile female runaway from Monee. The juvenile had been reported missing by her mother on May 31.
Through extensive internet search resources, detectives obtained several leads for her possible whereabouts. On June 14, after numerous interviews in other municipalities, Monee Police obtained a cell phone number linked to the missing juvenile. MPD detectives were able to link the telephone number to a 32-year-old male who worked as a truck driver for a suburban trucking company. Detectives contacted the company and were able to obtain the GPS location for the truck the subject was driving. MPD located the vehicle at a truck stop in southwestern Iowa (Pottawattamie County). MPD immediately contacted the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office and provided them with information obtained through their investigation.
Deputies quickly responded to the area and took the female juvenile into protective custody. MPD then arranged for her transport back to Illinois, where she was safely returned home to her mother. The adult male was released in Iowa, and the investigation into his involvement is ongoing.
The successful and safe resolution to this incident was made possible by the cooperation of multiple agencies, internet providers, and private companies. The coordination of locating and returning the young lady home ultimately was made possible by the MPD investigative efforts and the professionalism and quick reaction of the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Department dispatch and deputies.