Update: NY State Police Cancels Amber Alert, 12-Year-Old Girl's Location Still Unknown
Sept. 28, 2018, 10:24 a.m.
Two suspects have been arrested, but the girl was not with them.
Police believe that a 12-year-old girl who was reportedly abducted from an upstate town is in New York City—and is in danger. Malaya Johnson, who was taken from Hudson Falls on Wednesday afternoon, was allegedly spotted at the Staten Island Ferry's St. George Terminal on Thursday, between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. [Update: The Amber Alert has been cancelled; more details below.]
NY State Police issued an Amber Alert (PDF) on Thursday afternoon, noting that the girl, who was last seen wearing light red jeans, white tank top, and a light colored backpack with a design, apparently got into a a newer model red Ford Mustang. The state police added, "Child was taken under circumstances that lead police to believe that she is in danger of serious physical harm or death."
While her cellphone was apparently found in Rockland County, authorities do not believe she is there. The NYPD located the vehicle in NYC, and two suspects in the car were taken into custody. Malaya was not with them.
The State Island Advance reports, "Emergency radio communications indicated that a 'level-one' mobilization search of the terminal and St. George was underway for the girl in the early morning hours on Friday and that NYPD helicopters assisted in the search." However, she was not found and police are still looking for her.
**UPDATE** to the @AMBERAlert activated earlier today: The NYPD recovered the vehicle but Malaya Johnson remains missing. She was last seen in the area of the Staten Island Ferry between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. this evening. More information: https://t.co/XNB1BbAKqF
— NYS Public Safety (@NYSPublicSafety) September 28, 2018
Update: The Ambert Alert was cancelled this afternoon, and George Torres, 19, of Stapleton, Staten Island, was charged with endangering the welfare of a child. Torres apparently dropped Malaya, who he picked up from her middle school, off at the Staten Island Ferry terminal.
According to WABC 7, "NYPD Chief of Detectives Dermot Shea said Torres initially believed the girl was 18, but when he picked her up, it became clear that was untrue... Neither Torres nor the second man in his car, who he also gave a ride, said they had any idea where the girl was going in New York City. The other man was released after questioning."
Malaya reportedly called her family and said she wasn't coming back.
