A 16 year-old teenage girl from Allentown, Pennsylvania who went missing two weeks ago was found in Mexico with her best friend's father. According to CNN, Amy Yu was found on Saturday in Playa del Carmen, Mexico with 45-year-old Kevin Esterly, who was arrested. The two were involved in a consensual romantic relationship. Yu was unharmed and is in good health.
The arrest came two days after an Amber Alert for Amy was issued by Mexico's Attorney General.
Once the two were found, they were escorted to Miami by Homeland Security. According to a statement by Immigration and Customers Enforcement (ICE) and Homeland Security investigators, Yu has since safely returned to her family.
Yu had a history of missing school, which was directly linked to her secret relationship with Esterly. The New York Post reports that Esterly frequently signed the teen out of school including 10 times in a single month. Yu's mother, Mui Luu, notified the school on February 9 that Esterly had signed her daughter out of class without parental permission. Later, on February 15, law enforcement showed up at the Esterly residence to inform him and his wife—who have four daughters—to stay away from Yu.
According to NBC News, Esterly and his wife, Stacy, often fought about the nature of his relationship with Yu. "She wants Amy home with her mom, that is what she has always wanted," Stacy Esterly said through her lawyer. "She is glad that Amy is safe and that Kevin is with authorities." Esterly will face a charge of child custody interference when he returns to Pennsylvania.
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