17-year-old Penelope “Penny” Wise, who has been missing since last May, has been found. The teen from Kent County, Michigan, USA, had moved in with a 44-year-old man from Rockford, Michigan. Penny reportedly became engaged just after meeting him. Her parents are currently waiting to finally reunite.
Taking to the Bring Penelope Wise Home Facebook group on Sunday (July 21), Mishael Wise, Penny’s mom, announced that her daughter had been “found safe.”
Investigators said that Penny had been living with the man, more than twice her age, in Rockford for most of the time she was away, Fox 17 reported on Monday (July 22).
Mishael told Fox 17: “We’re happy that she’s been found. Sad that we can’t see her yet… the kids themselves have a lot of mixed emotions right now.”
17-year-old Penelope “Penny” Wise, who has been missing since last May, has been found
On Facebook, the relieved mother revealed that Penny was still in police custody, as she was now involved in an ongoing investigation and, therefore, couldn’t reunite with her family just yet.
“We are thankful she’s been found,” Mishael wrote. “She’s alive and ok.”
It was about 11 a.m. on Sunday when investigators arrived on the scene after getting a call from a neighbor, Fox 17 reported.
The teen from Kent County, Michigan, USA, had moved in with a 44-year-old man from Rockford, Michigan
Image credits: Mishael Wise
The Kent County Sheriff’s Office reportedly said a “community member” called 911 after seeing the teenager riding a bicycle.
The newly found girl reportedly left her family home voluntarily on May 31, 2024. She was previously spotted on a surveillance camera near a bar downtown around midnight on June 1.
Investigators recently revealed to local media that Penny met the older man at around 2 a.m. on June 1.
Penny reportedly got engaged just after meeting the 44-year-old
Image credits: Mishael Wise
“He was a stranger,” a statement from the sheriff’s office explained. “Penny lived with the man in his Rockford home starting on June 1, 2024, until yesterday.”
Investigators also said that they believed Penny and the man had become “engaged,” as Kent County Undersheriff Bryan Muir said: “They were actively trying to conceal her identity and location from us.”
Despite the fact that investigators believe the man was helping Penny evade authorities and her family, he will likely not face any criminal charges, Fox 17 reported.
Undersheriff Muir said: “Right now, and [at] this point in the investigation, there is no criminal charges.
“Even for him not working with us and letting [us] know where Penny was located, we don’t have any criminal charges.”
“We looked at a bunch of charges, there’s just nothing that covers this,” Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker explained.
The prosecutor told Fox 17 that his office looked at the possibility of issuing charges such as contributing to the delinquency of a minor or harboring a runaway.
Nevertheless, these types of charges can reportedly only be applied if the victim is 16 years old or younger.
“She should’ve reached out to someone to let them know she was ok,” a reader commented
