Authorities have reported that a Marine was apprehended last month after a missing 14-year-old girl was discovered in the barracks of a California base.
On June 28, military police at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton in Oceanside located the teenager, just over two weeks after her grandmother had reported her missing to the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, according to Melissa Aquino, a spokesperson for the sheriff’s office.
Confirming the incident, Captain Charles Palmer, the director of communications strategy and operations for the 1st Marine Logistics Group, stated that an unidentified individual from Combat Logistics Battalion 5, 1st Marine Logistics Group, was taken into custody for questioning by the Naval Criminal Investigative Services (NCIS) on June 28.
To protect the minor involved, her identity has not been publicly disclosed. The sheriff’s office has a policy of not releasing information that could potentially identify minor victims.
Jeff Houston, a spokesperson for NCIS, explained that they do not comment on ongoing investigations or disclose specific details related to their work.
Lt. David LaDieu, the media relations director for the sheriff’s department, clarified that NCIS is leading the investigation and that their involvement thus far has been limited to recovering the missing juvenile within their jurisdiction.
For those seeking support, the Teen Line offers peer-based assistance provided by trained teenagers who are available every evening to handle calls and texts. You can reach them at 310-855-HOPE (4673) or toll-free at 800-TLC-TEEN from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. ET. Texting options are also available by sending “TEEN” to 839863 between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. ET. Additionally, Teen Line responds to emails and hosts a message board for further assistance.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com