A Memphis teen found in Rockingham County has led to the arrest of a 27-year-old man now facing a felony child abduction charge after deputies located the missing juvenile in Stoneville, North Carolina.
ROCKINGHAM COUNTY, N.C. — Authorities say a missing juvenile girl out of Memphis, Tennessee was tracked down in Rockingham County, North Carolina, and the grown man she was allegedly with is now sitting behind bars facing a serious felony charge.
According to the Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were alerted Monday about a missing teenage girl –16-year-old Tiffany Bearden – whose parents had reported her disappearance the day before to the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office in Tennessee.
But the search didn’t last long.
Deputies say they located the girl along U.S. Highway 311 in Stoneville, a small town in Rockingham County — and she wasn’t alone.
Investigators say the juvenile was found with 27-year-old Dakota Wayne Vettor, who reportedly lives at the same address where deputies located her.
Authorities quickly contacted officials in Tennessee to confirm the girl had been found, and her parents were notified right away.
Because of the situation, the teen was temporarily placed into the custody of Rockingham County DSS while arrangements were made for her parents to come retrieve her.
Meanwhile, deputies turned their attention to Vettor.
After being interviewed by investigators, Dakota Wayne Vettor was arrested and charged with felony abduction of children.
He was booked into the Rockingham County Detention Facility, where officials say he is being held without bond.
Investigators have not yet released additional details about how the two allegedly met or how long the juvenile had been missing before she was found.
