Girl told another child she had run away and was held against her will in Oregon
The missing girl had told another child she met online that she had run away and was being held against her will at a man’s house in Oregon.
Charge and recovery timeline
The 17-year-old girl had been missing from Utah since May 2025. Authorities acting on a tip rescued her Sunday at a home in Huntington, Oregon.
About 30 miles (48 kilometers) away, authorities arrested Adam Hunter Harmel, 39, during a traffic stop. Harmel was charged with transporting the girl across state lines with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.
Video call and FBI accounts
On Sunday, a parent of the other child contacted the missing Utah girl by video, and the FBI listened in.
During the call, the girl said she had met Harmel on social media and that Harmel had driven her from Utah to Oregon, according to an FBI agent’s account in court records.
According to the FBI, she also said Harmel threw her phone in a river and told her she could not leave his home.
According to the FBI, the girl said Harmel made her sleep against a wall to prevent her from escaping from the bed they shared.
According to the FBI, the girl also said Harmel often hit her, sexually assaulted her, and forced her to remove her braces with pliers so she could not be identified.
Counsel and family outreach
No lawyer for Harmel was listed in court records.
The federal public defender’s office in Utah declined to comment when asked whether it represented him. The Associated Press also reached out through social media to someone believed to be related to Harmel.