10-Year-Old Girl Found Alive After Kidnapping (VIDEO)
A 10-year-old girl who went missing from her home yesterday has been found safe and sound after a massive search by police. Nicole Ryan was found in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles after reportedly being taken from her home in the middle of the night.
Reports state that Ryan's mother last saw her daughter at 1:00 a.m. on Wednesday, but when she went to check on her at 3:40 a.m., Nicole was gone. She called police, who searched the home with no results and later expanded the search throughout the area.
The LAPD has said that Ryan was taken "against her will" by two men who entered the home through the back door. A side gate normally kept shut was found open when police investigated. KABC reported that the girl was taken to a storage facility, followed by an abandoned rental property, though it was later determined that she had not been at the rental property.
Instead, police believe she was held elsewhere and are trying to figure out where that may be. Ryan is talking to police about what happened during the time she was gone. Police have not released any details about the suspects, except to say that one is described as a white male approximately 18 years old.
They are taking their time with the girl in order to ensure her mental safety. After being held for nine to 10 hours, police want to make sure that the girl's story is accurate and that they don't cause her any mental harm.
Ryan was found walking to a Starbucks after being released by her captors; a citizen recognized her and then flagged down police. The girl was in good condition and taken to a local hospital for an examination just to make sure she was healthy.
"It's very unexpected," neighbor Dwayne Smith told KABC. "We moved here, we thought it is a very safe neighborhood. When something like this happens right in your backyard, it makes you a little nervous."
Anyone with information regarding the case is encouraged to call the Los Angeles Regional Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-TIPS.
Watch video of Ryan's story HERE: