B U F F A L O N E W S buffalonews.com
A 15-year-old girl who ran away from her Grand Island home was found unharmed Saturday in Kenmore.
Authorities arrested two people and charged them with endangering the welfare of a child.
Erie County sheriff’s deputies began searching for Ashley Johnson after the teenager failed to return home from school Wednesday afternoon. Her family had recently discovered the 15-year-old had been receiving inappropriate text messages from a 29-year-old Kenmore man, deputies said.
The teenager was located at a home in Kenmore at about 10 a. m. Saturday, sheriff’s officials said.
John R. Douglas II, 29, of Warren Avenue, and Deadra A. Berg, 34, of LaSalle Avenue, were both charged with endangering the welfare of a child, second- degree custodial interference and obstructing governmental administration.
Investigators were not available to comment Saturday evening.
Douglas also was charged in Grand Island with a second count of endangering the welfare of a child, for sending the inappropriate messages to the girl, authorities said. He is being held in the Erie County Holding Center pending his arraignment.
Berg was released pending her appearance in Kenmore Village Court.
The investigation was conducted by Senior Detective James Hatch and Detective Dennis Fitzgibbon, from the Sheriff’s Office, who were assisted by Kenmore police and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Published: March 21, 2010, 12:30 am