Missing 11-year-old Florida girl found safe in home of 22-year-old man, sheriff says
UPDATE: This story was updated to reflect that 11-year-old Montana Breseman has been found.
The 11-year-old who went missing from her middle school in New Port Richey was found Tuesday morning in the home of a 22-year-old man, the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office said.
Though the details were still emerging Tuesday afternoon, Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco said the Tampa man and two other people had been arrested. They face charges including interference with child custody.
“This is a tragic story with a good ending,” Nocco said.
The saga began on Monday when Montana Breseman, who goes by the name Jordan, had shared a photo of herself wearing a hooded sweatshirt with the phrase: “My Body, My Sweat, Your Tears.”
She then disappeared from River Ridge Middle School in New Port Richey, which is near Tampa, said the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office.
Nocco pleaded with the community Monday night for help in finding the girl, who was last seen around 11 a.m.
Shortly before 8 p.m., an Amber Alert was issued for Montana. According to the alert, Jordan may have been in a car with an “unknown white male” traveling to Georgia.
Nocco said Jordan “made indications” that she was planning to go to Georgia with an 18- or 19-year-old man. He added that detectives feared that this could be a case of human trafficking.
“I say that right now, information says possibly Georgia, but we do not know that specifically,” he said Monday night. “So we’re asking anybody. She could be here locally... She could be in the Tampa Bay region. She could be in South Florida. We don’t know exactly where she is. That’s why we need to get this information out as far, as wide as possible.”
On Tuesday, Nocco said the tips poured in from the community. Video showed her at a 7-Eleven with a man.
Detectives eventually found the girl at the home of the man she believed was her boyfriend, Nocco said.
This story was originally published April 12, 2021 at 8:22 PM.
