A 13-year-old girl, Wynter Wagoner, who had been missing for over two months, has been found safe, thanks to a tip-off from the community. Wynter vanished from Kentucky and was finally discovered in Silver Spring, Maryland, after a concerned individual alerted the authorities.
A man named Christian Alexander Delgado, aged 37, was apprehended at the location and faces charges for allegedly kidnapping Wynter, who was last seen by her foster parents on October 14.
Family members have expressed gratitude towards a Facebook page that was created to aid in finding Wynter. This page played a crucial role in her recovery by the Montgomery County Police, U.S. Marshals, and the Rockcastle County Sheriff’s Office, as reported by local sources.
Delgado commented on the situation, claiming it was a ‘misunderstanding’, as reported by WKYT.
Reports suggest Delgado met Wynter online and traveled from Florida to Kentucky to pick her up. He allegedly told authorities that he first took Wynter to Florida before winding up in Maryland.
Authorities received a tip that Wynter might be at the Maryland address with Delgado. However, court documents also reveal that Wynter contacted her aunt and provided the Maryland address.
Delgado was taken into custody on December 26 and appeared in court on December 29, where a request for release on bond was denied.
It is unclear whether Delgado was aware of Wagoner’s age. According to Fox 56, he referred to himself as a ‘model citizen’ and requested house arrest to prepare his defense and maintain regular communication with his lawyer.
He also expressed a desire not to be a ‘burden to the taxpayer’, and his defense lawyer highlighted his new employment.
Despite these arguments, Delgado remains in custody at the Montgomery County Central Processing Unit with a $1 million bond. He will face charges in Kentucky pending extradition.
Wynter’s father, Dustin Wagoner, released a statement confirming her safety and expressing limited details due to the ongoing situation. “Wynter has been found. She is safe and that’s about all the information we can give at this time,” he said. He also thanked everyone for their efforts and prayers for Wynter’s safe return.
Her cousin, Johnny Miller, shared his feelings of overwhelming relief and gratitude upon learning she was safe. He attributed the successful resolution in part to the community’s involvement and the Facebook group that kept Wynter’s story in the public eye.
An arrest warrant indicated that Wagoner had been contemplating running away for several weeks prior to her disappearance.