PUTNAM COUNTY, Fla. (CBS12) \u2014 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.<\/p>\n
The Putnam County Sheriff’s Office<\/a> said that a deputy spotted a vehicle speeding on South US 17 near Crescent City and pulled it over.<\/p>\n 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. <\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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. <\/p>\n The girl’s mother was contacted and confirmed that she did not know Magraff and had reported her daughter missing on February 16.<\/p>\n See also: Roadside Mystery: Miami man named suspect in 2024 slaying of Wellington nurse<\/a><\/p>\n 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. <\/p>\n According to the report, Magraff stated that he was in Florida <\/a>to play gambling games.<\/p>\n During the vehicle search, law enforcement reported finding 19 counterfeit $100 bills, synthetic marijuana, marijuana, and drug paraphernalia.<\/p>\n