09/21/2026
Digital leads guided investigators to the East Coast location of a missing Des Moines teenager.
The 17-year-old teen was last seen leaving her home with a person believed to be an adult male. DMPD Special Victims Section detectives learned during their investigation that the two had met on Tik Tok.
Additional evidence indicated that the two had left in a truck with Maryland license plates, although home surveillance cameras only recorded a portion of the plate.
While detectives worked to learn the complete license plate, a DMPD Crimes Against Persons Section detective, specially trained as a member of the FBI Cellular Analysis Survey Team (CAST), was contacted to assist in the investigation.
Within a few hours, license plates reader technology and cellular data analysis, the truck and teen were identified as being in Stafford, Virginia.
DMPD detectives collaborated with law enforcement officials in Virginia and the teen was recovered safely.
Arrangements are being made to reunite her with her family.
The 32-year-old male that she was with has been detained as the investigation continues.
Additional information will be shared as it becomes available for release.
Sgt Paul Parizek
cc: National Center For Missing and Endangered, Inc.
Office of Stafford County Sheriff