Sophia Franklin (Courtesy: Beaver Dam Police Department)
DODGE COUNTY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — A pregnant teenager from Beaver Dam has been located safe after being missing for nearly two months.
Sophia Franklin was found at a truck stop near Omaha, Nebraska late Wednesday night in the company of the alleged father of her unborn child, 40-year-old Gary Day.
It happened to be Franklin’s 17th birthday. Her mother, Leah Franklin, was overwhelmed with emotion after hearing her daughter was safe.
“I can’t even begin to say how grateful I am,” she said. “They found her on her birthday. Wow. If that’s not a God thing, I don’t know what is. I’m just so thankful that she’s no longer with this man.”
Greg London, the sheriff of Sarpy County, Nebraska, where the pair was found, fielded questions at a news conference Thursday about the teen’s rescue and Day’s arrest.
“I know they met online,” said London. “But we’re not running an investigation. We have turned everything over. Homeland Security is running the investigation. We just simply were at the right place at the right time.”
Beaver Dam police say a witness at the truck stop said she saw a young, pregnant girl with two older men and thought it was weird, so she went up and started talking to them.
The woman reported things they were saying were not adding up, so she walked away and did some research on her phone. After recognizing Franklin from the Amber Alert, she called police.
“The female reporting party said, ‘It just doesn’t seem right on what they’re doing together’ and it was very inconsistent, and that’s why she called 911,” London said.
When police approached the three individuals, they say Day gave a false name. He also changed his appearance by growing a beard and mustache.
Day was taken into custody without incident, London said. Franklin was transported to Sarpy County’s juvenile justice center and to a hospital to be checked out. Police say she and her baby are in good condition.
“[Her] parents were contacted and as far as I know, the parents are coming to Nebraska to reunite with their daughter,” London said.
The man Franklin and Day were with was a trucker and he did not known who he was talking to, officials said. He was not arrested.
“They had no idea who each other were. It was just coincidence they ran into each other,” said London.
An Amber Alert was issued for Franklin after she was reported missing on Feb. 3. She was 16 years old at the time and three months pregnant. There was a no contact order in place between Franklin and Day.
Charges of child enticement and abduction of a child were were filed against Day in Dodge County. Police say Day could also face charges in Arkansas and Nebraska.
London said he was unfamiliar with specific details of Day’s criminal history, but he did know Day previously spent time in prison in Arkansas.
Authorities say this incident is an important reminder to parents to be aware of their children’s online activity.
“I think the main goal is just to be aware of what your kids are doing, especially online because that’s how [Franklin and Day] met each other. If your juvenile son or daughter feels like they’re under the control of someone else, it’s time time to say something and time to call the authorities,” London said.
He praised the woman who trusted her instincts and called 911.
“It’s taken two months to find her, but it’s the adage, ‘If something doesn’t seem right, pick up the phone and call 911,'” London said.
Sometimes it has a lot to do about nothing, but in this situation, this is a textbook example of someone making a 911 call because they didn’t think something was right, we responded and sure enough, he’s got several warrants out of several states.
The Amber Alert for Franklin has been canceled.
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