Local agencies searching for teen police believe is human trafficking victim – WTVG

MONTPELIER, Ohio (WTVG) – Local law enforcement agencies are investigating the case of a missing teen they believe may be a victim of human trafficking.

Montpelier police say the missing girl only speaks Spanish and the information they have about her name and age might be fake. To the community's best knowledge, the missing girl is 16-year-old Katherinne Fernandez.

The teen is approximately 5″1, 100lbs., with brown eyes and light brown hair that fades to red at the ends. She was last seen wearing a blue hoodie, light blue wind pants, and had a towel over her head. Authorities believe she may be in the areas near Hancock and Hardin Counties and are paying close attention to Findlay and Kenton, Ohio.

Montpelier Police Chief Daniel McGee told 13abc there were multiple factors that led them to believe this was a human trafficking case.

“This probably is not just one person that is in a trafficking ring,” McGee said. “It's probably multiple. We want to be able to find this person and save her.”

Police said Fernandez was placed in foster care center in Montpelier due to a language barrier after she showed up at a hospital in Hancock County. The teen was there for less than 48 hours before a caregiver reported her missing. Officials said she was at the municipal pool with other kids from the foster home when she took off.

“We did research the cameras and things that are down there at the park and we did not see her leave in any specific direction, and then we did searching of the area, we broadcast in ATL we searched our trail area,” McGee said.

Law enforcement asked for the public's help finding her. They got a call about three days later that someone had allowed the teen to use their cell phone. Police found Fernandez made several phone calls and some searches back to the area where she came from in Hancock County. Officials believe she may be in the Hancock County and Hardin County area.

Chief McGee said agencies are investigating the situation as a human trafficking case because she wanted to flee right away and went back to the area where she came from. They say it's also because personal information provided about the girl may be fake.

“A lot of the information that people believed they knew about her is actually fake information,” McGee said. “That's cause for concern because now we have this individual who is missing and we don't even know that we're calling her by her right name.”

McGee said they have identified a person of interest in the case and are looking for him but are not releasing his identity at this time.

There are several law enforcement agencies involved in the case but if you see her, officials ask that you report it to the local authorities to speed up a response.

• Hancock Co. Sheriff's Office: 419-424-7097
• Hancock Co. Job and Family Services: 419-422-0182
• Findlay Police Dept.: 419-424-7194
• Hardin Co. Sheriff's Office: 419-673-1268
• Kenton Police Dept.: 419-673-0771
• Additionally, if you have information about this teen, or any person you believe may be involved in Human Trafficking, you can call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 888-373-7888.

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