A 14-year-old Tennessee girl who had been missing for two weeks was found in Virginia on Tuesday with a 41-year old convicted sex offender.
Hayleigh Wilson went missing on June 22 when she took her father’s Ford Explorer to run away with Benjamin Shook, who had been convicted of child molestation and seven counts of sexual exploitation of children in Georgia. He also failed to register as a sex offender.
Authorities issued an Amber Alert two days later and it paid off on Tuesday.
“At approximately 5 a.m., a citizen called 9-1-1 informing authorities that Shook and the missing Tennessee teen were at her home seeking refuge,” the U.S. Marshals Service told
CBS 6 News.
The caller recognized Wilson and Shook from the Amber Alert after they had knocked on her door seeking shelter and asking to use her shower. The woman called the police while Shook was in the shower and authorities arrived within minutes to arrest him.
Authorities took Wilson and Shook to the Smyth County Sheriff’s Office where Shook was questioned to find out what happened during Wilson’s disappearance. Wilson was later taken to the Smyth County Community Hospital to be examined.
Wilson was apologetic and wanted to go home,
reported WCYB.com.
Eddie Wilson, the girl’s father, said his daughter returned home safe and reportedly had survived on apples and spring water during her absence.
"They were actually in pretty good shape and I think they had a little more to eat than that," a Smyth County sheriff’s information officer told
Fox News.
“It looks like both the child and the suspect met on an online app,” Surgoinsville Police Chief James Hammond told CBS 6 News. “These kids talk to these people on these chat apps and they really don’t know who they are talking to.”
Shook, who has served 10 years in prison, is being held in federal custody for failing to register as a sex offender. In addition to any charges related to disappearing with Wilson, he will likely face charges for breaking into buildings and stealing food while on the run with her.
Related Stories:
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.