PUTNAM COUNTY, Fla. (CBS12) — A 16-year-old girl from North Carolina who had been missing for almost three weeks was found during a traffic stop in Florida on Sunday evening.
The Putnam County Sheriff’s Office said that a deputy spotted a vehicle speeding on South US 17 near Crescent City and pulled it over.
The report states that upon approaching the car, the passenger, the missing 16-year-old girl, gave the deputy false information about her name and age.
Officials said that the driver, identified as 37-year-old Joshua Magraff from Charlotte, North Carolina, initially claimed the girl was his cousin. However, the passenger allegedly provided a birth year that indicated she was only 12 years old, which raised concerns for her safety.
It was reported that the deputy placed the girl in his patrol car, where she revealed her true identity. A subsequent check confirmed that she had been reported missing from North Carolina a month earlier.
The girl’s mother was contacted and confirmed that she did not know Magraff and had reported her daughter missing on February 16.
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When questioned by deputies about his relationship with the teen, Magraff’s story allegedly changed multiple times. He first described her as a friend, then claimed he believed she was 19 years old.
According to the report, Magraff stated that he was in Florida to play gambling games.
During the vehicle search, law enforcement reported finding 19 counterfeit $100 bills, synthetic marijuana, marijuana, and drug paraphernalia.
The Department of Children and Families was contacted to take custody of the teenager until she can be reunited with her mother.
Magraff was arrested and has been accused of multiple charges, including interference in child custody, possession of synthetic marijuana, possession of counterfeit currency, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and possession of drug paraphernalia. He is currently held at the Putnam County Jail on a $9,000 bond.