After safely finding a 17-year-old lady who had been lacking for 2 months, police revealed they discovered her dwelling with a 44-year-old man and that they have been engaged.
Penelope “Penny” Sensible was reported lacking after she was final seen leaving her household’s dwelling on foot on Could 31 round 6:00 p.m. native time, in response to the Kent County Sheriff’s Workplace (KCSO).
Earlier than she was discovered, Sensible was seen on digital camera strolling alone in Rockford round midnight on Saturday, June 1 — and all through the investigation, police mentioned they believed she “deliberately walked away from dwelling” and that they didn’t have any info to counsel foul play.
In an replace on Sunday, July 21, police introduced that the teenager had been “positioned secure.”
“The preliminary investigation revealed that Penny was dwelling with an older man in a house, within the Metropolis of Rockford.” police mentioned, noting that they have been capable of finding her after a group member noticed Spouse leaving the house on a bicycle after which contacted police.
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In an replace on Monday, July 22, police shared that investigators realized the “older man” was 44, and that the pair, who had been strangers, met round 2:00 a.m. native time on June 1 , simply hours after Sensible was final seen.
They went on to say that the pair started dwelling collectively that very same day and that investigators “additionally realized that Penny and the person have been engaged.”
The age of consent in Michigan is 16.
Talking with native ABC affiliate WZZM, police mentioned that Sensible left dwelling following a “disagreement” together with her dad and mom, and that police imagine she was staying with the person willingly – and that they met by “happenstance.”
“They by no means had any connection. There was no digital path that we may have adopted that might have led to this location,” mentioned Kent County Undersheriff Brian Muir. “They only occurred to satisfy one another and have a bond.”
On Tuesday, July 23, police confirmed to PEOPLE that the Kent County Prosecutor’s Workplace “has determined to not pursue costs towards the 44-year-old man right now.”
Courtesy Kent County Sheriff
Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker instructed FOX affiliate WXMI that though the case was “clearly troubling,” their workplace “can’t simply cost issues that we discover troubling.”
The potential costs that they appeared into included harboring a runaway and contributing to the delinquency of a minor, the outlet reported, nonetheless, as a result of Sensible was 16, these costs could not apply.
“We have now to comply with the regulation, and that’s what we did,” he added. “We have been simply left with out something to cost.”
Talking with WZZM on July 22, Muir mentioned that {the teenager} was nonetheless in custody, however that they “actually cannot get into what she’s in custody for, as a result of she is a juvenile nonetheless within the eyes of the regulation.”
Muir added, “We’re simply attempting to attach her with providers earlier than she makes it again dwelling.”
When reached for remark by PEOPLE on Wednesday, July 24, Sensible’s mother mentioned that the household is “blissful” their daughter was discovered, however “saddened by the alternatives she made.”
“We’re grateful for all of the Legislation Enforcement and the hours they put in looking for our daughter,” she added, noting that she was nonetheless being detained at a Juvenile Detention Facility and so they have but to see her.
