A 62-year-old Dearborn Heights man is facing serious charges after being discovered with a once-missing 16-year-old girl. Wayne County prosecutors have charged Kamal Abou Darwiche with multiple felonies, including child sexually abusive activity and delivering marijuana to a minor, as reported by ClickOnDetroit. Darwiche is also accused of harboring the runaway teen.
Found after nearly six weeks missing, the teenager had disappeared on March 14, 2025, from the Vista Maria facility, known for housing vulnerable children. It was in Darwiche's apartment on Inkster Road, close to the Warren Avenue area, that police located her on April 23, as noted by FOX 2 Detroit. Running away due to an expired visa, she is now under the care of Child Protective Services.
Darwiche's charges, which also include a one-year misdemeanor for harboring a runaway, were announced today. He remains in ICE custody, having been taken in when the police found the girl at his home. The Wayne County Prosecutor's Office, as of now, has not scheduled an arraignment for Darwiche, though a warrant for the charges has been signed.
"All of us at Vista Maria are relieved and grateful that (the girl) has been found and is safe and receiving support," a spokesperson from Vista Maria conveyed, in a sentiment captured by ClickOnDetroit. The facility thanked law enforcement for their extensive efforts, particularly highlighting the work of the Dearborn Heights Police Department. According to authorities, having been accused previously of a similar Tier II offense under the Sex Offender Registration Act complicated Darwiche's legal situation even further.
Throughout the investigation, local police in collaboration with federal authorities, including the US Marshals Service, searched for the missing girl. Darwiche had initially been questioned and had told officers he hadn't seen the girl, only for tips to lead detectives back to his home later, according to Audacy reports.
