16 Year Old Kidnap Victim Returned to Sydney

By Danielle Pope

Image from istock
Image from istock
The victim had been lured via social media app Snapchat

Last month a 16 year old school girl vanished from Sydney’s upper north shore. She allegedly had been suffering with anxiety problems and was experiencing family problems at home. Her parents reported her missing, and so began an international search involving a joint operation between the Australian Federal Police, the New York Police Department and Interpol.

It has now been been revealed that the young girl, who is referred to as “Jane Doe” in documents in order to protect her identity, was lured overseas by convicted killer Sean Price through the social media application Snapchat. Court documents filed with the US District Court allege that Price began communicating with the young girl on Snapchat as early as October last year.

Price then used the application to groom the young girl, and ended up wiring her $2010 via several Western Union transfers to pay for a flight for her to come and meet with him in New York.

Jane Doe took the money and bought an international ticket last month, prompting the international search. After touching down in Los Angeles, the young girl was met by Price who then hired a car and drove the girl back to his home in New York.

US Homeland special agent Miguel Collazo has alleged in Court documents, that Price knew the victim was underage. “[The] defendant acknowledged being aware of Jane Doe’s age over their course of their travel from California to New York, and stated that he had engaged in sexual intercourse with Jane Doe in multiple states, including New York State,” Mr Collazo.

Police raided Price’s home in New York on 11 May, where Price initially tried to escape with Jane Doe. Police eventually found them in the basement.

The young girl has since been returned to Australia.

Price’s criminal history includes a conviction in 1995 for negligent homicide for the death of a passenger in a car crash.

He is now being held remand in Brooklyn, where the presiding magistrate denied him bail.

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