The Pinellas Park Police Department breathed a sigh of relief as a 12-year-old girl, Aleah Conrad, who had been missing since February 15, was found safe in North Carolina yesterday. In a rapid turn of events following the issuance of a statewide Amber Alert, authorities located Aleah in Greensboro, with the suspect, 38-year-old Kassin Rodriguez, being taken into custody.
According to a news release from the Tampa Bay Times, Rodriguez was thought to have been with the girl when the Amber Alert was activated. He is now facing charges of interference with child custody and false imprisonment. The details surrounding Aleah's time with Rodriguez remain under investigation, as authorities work to understand the dynamics that led to her being in the care of her mother's ex-boyfriend.
Witnesses last saw Aleah in the vicinity of the 7500 block of U.S. Highway 19 North in Pinellas Park, which led to the Amber Alert campaign. After her discovery, efforts to reunite Aleah with her family are in progress, per statements obtained by WFLA News Channel 8.
The story, which began with urgent calls for the public's aid, concluded with the girl's safety being ensured and her abductor behind bars. "Now, Conrad is with local authorities in North Carolina and efforts, are underway to reunite her with her mother," according to a report by FOX 13 News. Rodriguez's prior relationship with the girl's mother had reportedly ended prior to the incident, but the motivations and circumstances remain part of ongoing inquiries.
Anyone with additional information in relation to this occurrence is encouraged to contact the Pinellas Park Police Department at (727) 369-7864, in an attempt to piece together the events that led up to the Amber Alert.
