The abduction of 16-year-old Mint Butterfield has taken a turn after police have charged a second person in connection with their disappearance.
Mint’s mother, Flickr co-founder Caterina Fake, reported them missing on April 22 after they went missing from their California home the day before.
Mint, who uses they/them pronouns, had concerned police with their disappearance as they were believed to be in a notoriously dangerous area in San Francisco, Tenderloin.
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Thankfully, San Francisco Police confirmed that a week later Mint had been found alive and was reunited with their family. They also added that a 26-year-old man has been charged with abducting Mint.
Officials learned during the investigation that Mint could be with an acquaintance of theirs, a man named Christopher 'Kio' Dizefalo.
The teen was found uninjured inside a white van associated with Dizefalo.
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According to reports another person, named Sarah Atkins, has been charged in connection with the Mint’s disappearance.
Atkins was charged with abduction and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
Mint is the only child of Silicon Valley entrepreneurs Stewart Butterfield, who co-founded Slack, and Caterina Fake.
Caterina, along with Mint’s stepfather Jyri Engestrom, have praised the authorities for their speedy recovery of their child in a statement.
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"A heartfelt thanks to all the family, friends, volunteers and strangers who called in tips and made this recovery possible,” they wrote.
"We especially want to thank the seasoned law enforcement officers who understand the very real threat of predators who use the allure of drugs to groom teenagers."
Dizefalo has since been interviewed by detectives, after which he was arrested for 'multiple crime violations' and booked in the Marin County Jail with his bail set at $50,000.
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Explaining the disappearance of Mint, the Marin County Sheriff’s Office also explained that teenager had taken a suitcase with them when they left the home and had also left a note for their parents.
In a separate statement they thanked the public for their support in their investigation.
"The Marin County Sheriff’s Office is thankful for the assistance of the San Francisco Police Department, the Oakland Police Department and the FBI for their continuous efforts in helping us locate Mint," the Sheriff's Office said.
"We would like to also thank the other governmental and non-governmental agencies who reached out and offered additional resources. Additionally, we appreciate the help from the public in trying to locate Mint and providing tips that ultimately led to their safe return."
Gerrard Kaonga