logo

Missing American teenage girl is finally found in Mexico. 45-year-old man arrested

Junie Sihlangu
Mar 19, 2018
11:57 A.M.

A teenage girl went missing in Pennsylvania at the beginning of this month. An Amber Alert was eventually issued for the missing girl after 12 days.

Advertisement

According to UPI, Amy Yu went missing with an older man on March 5, 2018. She has finally been found and the man who left with her has been arrested and is facing charges.

Amy Yu, 16, was returned home this past Sunday after being found with Kevin Esterly, 45, in Mexico. According to WFMZ, Yu was transported to Allentown after arriving at the Philadelphia Airport early on Sunday.

Esterly was arrested and is awaiting processing in Miami, Fla. Mexico issued an Amber Alert for Yu on Friday after police said she was last seen with Esterly on March 5.

Advertisement

Investigators said that before the two disappeared together, they may have maintained a secret relationship together. The man had signed the teenager out of her high school 10 times since November without her parents' permission.

Police also revealed that Yu may have listed him as her stepfather on her school emergency contact list. Esterly was told by police last month to stay away from the girl after her mother, Miu Luu, learned he had been signing her out of school.

According to The Morning Call, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement along with the US Marshals Service and a Mexican law enforcement agency found Yu and Esterly at Playa del Carmen. This is a resort town in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo.

"Esterly was placed into custody by Mexican authorities. Amy is unharmed and in good health."

Allentown police, UPI, March 18, 2018

It’s been reported that the teenager had willingly met up with Esterly, who took her to Philadelphia International Airport for a one-way flight to Mexico. She failed to board her school bus alerting her parents.

Both of them were carrying money that was stolen from their families. A criminal complaint filed by Esterly's wife, Stacey Esterly, said he had withdrawn $4,000 from her bank account before his disappearance.

Advertisement
Advertisement

Stacey and their four daughters have known Yu since she was about 7-years-old. She often accompanied the family on vacations, according to attorney John Waldron.

Stacey said she and her husband had been fighting about the nature of his relationship with Yu for several months. Waldron shared that Esterly had stated that he was attempting to be Yu’s father figure.

"Stacey did not believe it to be merely a father-daughter relationship and that's why there were fights. They were fighting every day over Amy," the attorney added.

Esterly is scheduled to be arraigned on the felony charge of interference of the custody of a child upon returning to Allentown.

Advertisement
info
Please fill in your e-mail so we can share with you our top stories!
By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy
Advertisement
Related posts

Missing Texas Girl, 11, Found Dead — Person Who Knocked Door to Door to Help Find Her Charged with Murder

February 22, 2024

Texas Girl, 11, Found Dead after Vanishing on Her Way to School – Cause of Death Finally Revealed

February 23, 2024

Jenni Rivera Married Thrice - Divorce from Her 3rd Husband Was Still Pending When She Died

November 03, 2023

Sisters’ Relationship Shatters after They Discover a Hidden Door — Story of the Day

February 05, 2024

Parents Leave Child with Neighbor, Return to Find Both Mysteriously Vanished – Story of the Day

January 22, 2024

Pregnant Teen & Boyfriend Found Dead in Car Days after She Was Due at Hospital - Police Perplexed

December 27, 2023

2 Kids Disappear without a Trace – Grieving Dad Sees Them on His Doorstep 3 Years Later

October 28, 2023

Alex Batty Found after Being Missing 6 Years & Reveals His Story in First Interview

December 22, 2023

10-Month-Old Baby Found Dead near Still-Living Father after 36-Hour Search

December 05, 2023

68-Year-Old Grandmother Passes Away in Front of Grandson – She Warned People about Potential Danger

February 22, 2024

4 Teen Boys Found Dead after Going on a Camping Trip: ‘I Feel like I’m in a Nightmare’

November 22, 2023

68-Year-Old Grandmother Passes Away in Front of Grandson – She Warned People about Potential Danger

February 07, 2024

Amber Alert: Georgia Girl, 16, Missing after Leaving Home Barefoot & Wearing Only Pajamas

January 16, 2024

Boy, 7, Loses His Life While Playing Favorite Game – Broken Mom Vows to Put His Christmas Present in His Coffin

December 08, 2023