Missing 12-Year-Old Waxahachie Girl Found Safe

A 12-year-old girl from Ellis County, reported missing, has been found safe at the Super 7 Motel in Southwest Dallas, thanks to a collaborative effort by Homeland Security Investigations and local law enforcement.

A 12-year-old Ellis County girl who was reported missing earlier this week has been safely located, thanks to a tip and the swift action of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). The youngster was found at the Super 7 Motel in Southwest Dallas on Friday morning.

HSI discovered the girl based on a tip to Waxahachie police around 9:30 a.m. She was found alone in the motel about an hour later, according to investigators. “We got her,” said Mary Magness from HSI. “She’s safe.”

The girl was cooperative with law enforcement and did not resist when officers knocked on the door. There were no altercations or confrontations with her, and she was immediately taken into safety.

Investigators are working to learn more about the circumstances surrounding her disappearance. The Ellis County Child Advocacy Center will now provide resources to help the girl. No arrests have been made, but the investigative task force is continuing to look into the case.

An Amber Alert was issued for the 12-year-old on Thursday morning after she disappeared from her Waxahachie home on Wednesday. Investigators found concerning text messages and social media messages that led them to believe she could be at risk in this situation.

A human trafficking task force began helping with the search because police suspected she could be a victim of traffickers. Police received reports on Thursday that the girl was seen around the UNT campus in Denton, but she was not found at that time.

The girl was found alone, but she didn’t walk from Waxahachie, and she didn’t pay for the motel room. No arrests have been made, but the task force knows who they are looking for, only saying the investigation is ongoing.

Broadcast media and social media gave this case the visibility it needed to have a good ending. “And for all the people who called in tips who saw something and said something, the girl will be reunited with her family with her loved ones because of you,” said Waxahachie Police Lt. Joshua Oliver.