Missing Kansas girl, 12, found safe in Michigan

Wichita — A 12-year-old Kansas girl was found safe in Michigan on Friday, a day after her parents said they believed she left her home with a Canadian man she met on the Internet.

The girl and a man were stopped while driving Friday afternoon southwest of Lansing, Michigan State Police Lt. T.J. Riegle said. Riegle said both were being held as police “sort things out.”

“I am so thankful that she has been found and is safe and I think that will allay many people’s concerns tonight,” said Butler County Attorney Darrin Devinney in Kansas. Devinney confirmed the girl was found safe but had no details of the circumstances.

“Obviously, law enforcement needs to visit with people involved,” Devinney said.

He said he did not know Friday whether any charges would be filed.

Police Chief Tom Boren in El Dorado, Kan., said earlier that the girl’s parents told investigators they had last seen her about 2 a.m. Thursday and believed she had left her home with Kenneth Stewart McGill, 20, of Ontario, Canada. They reported her missing about 12 hours later.

“We don’t understand that completely at this point,” Boren said of the delay.

“I don’t quite follow,” he added, “and my supposition would be that maybe they didn’t understand that this was going on, or maybe thought she was with a girlfriend or something. I don’t know.”