Katy Teen Found Safe After Nearly Two Weeks Missing
Corley Peel, Reporter | Published: December 24, 2024 at 6:54 PM
On Monday, the Harris County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) announced that a 15-year-old Katy girl, who had been missing for nearly two weeks, had been found safe. Amber Alerts were issued during the extensive search.
KPRC 2 reporter Corley Peel spoke with Colman Ryan, a private digital forensic investigator who assisted the girl’s family. Ryan explained that the challenge in locating the missing teen stemmed from the fact that, while she possessed a cell phone, it lacked consistent cell service. “Until that phone got on Wi-Fi, I wasn’t going to get anything,” he explained.
However, Ryan discovered the girl had a second Gmail account accessed through an app. This proved crucial. “I was able to access that account, turn on the location sharing, and then it was a waiting game,” Ryan said. After several days, his search revealed the girl had logged onto Wi-Fi at five different locations near the Hockley area, including restaurants and a house. He immediately relayed this information to HCSO detectives.
The following day, Ryan contacted the teen’s mother. “I said, ‘Hey, I’ve got a question.’ She said, ‘They found her. I’m headed out the door to go there right now!’ I said, ‘Can you tell me where they found her?’ She said, ‘In Hockley, like you told us yesterday.’ My objective was for her to be home for Christmas, and the mother was really emotional,” Ryan recounted.
The girl’s mother expressed immense relief at her daughter’s safe return. HCSO has not yet released details regarding the circumstances of the girl’s recovery, citing the ongoing nature of the investigation.
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