A 13-year-old girl, who had run away from home with a 19-year-old man, has been found in France. The 19-year-old is known to the judicial authorities and faced rape charges in connection with a vulnerable individual. Brussels police, who tracked down the girl, are warning parents and young people against the dangers of cyberstalking.
The Brussels prosecutor's office says it was the unknown that seduced the 13-year-old girl. "She was a quiet and studious girl, but at the beginning of February she left her music lesson and absconded with her 'boyfriend’. She followed him all the way to France, thinking he was the man of her dreams and that she was ready to leave home."
Missing persons unit
The girl met the 19-year-old man on the internet, where he was impersonating a 17-year-old boy. The child had no internet access at home and her parents were completely unaware of the contacts she had with the Frenchman.
After her disappearance, Brussels police were able to trace her thanks to the police Missing Persons unit that cooperated with French police.
Following this incident, the police are once again drawing young people’s and parents’ attention to the dangers of online encounters and cyberstalking. "Find more information about what you can do if your child has online contacts with a person who seems suspicious to you on the Child Focus website," police say.