TikTok video helps locate missing Pennsylvania teen
A TikTok video led to the discovery of Samantha Miscik, a teenager reported missing in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, who was found in Harrisburg two weeks later.
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TikTok video prompts crucial tip
The video, created by Alicia Kozakiewicz, a kidnapping survivor and internet safety advocate, detailed the circumstances of Miscik’s disappearance, including where she went missing and where she was last seen.
York native Ari Csutoras said she recognized Miscik after seeing her at a Sheetz in Mechanicsburg off Carlisle Pike on Monday, Aug. 3. The next day, after watching Kozakiewicz’s TikTok video, Csutoras called the number on the missing persons poster.
“And I realized that I know that face,” Csutoras said. “So, about– really it was 5 minutes of me going, ‘Am I sure?’ Before I was like, ‘Well, if I’m wrong, then I’m wrong, but if I’m right, it could be a really big deal.'”
From Csutoras’ tip and other comments on Kozakiewicz’s post, both Harrisburg police and Greensburg police were able to locate Miscik and bring her home.
Survivor uses social media to help others
Kozakiewicz, who is also a Pennsylvania native, said her own experience as a kidnapping survivor inspired her to create videos to raise awareness about missing people.
“I was rescued because of my missing persons poster out there because somebody saw it, and to be able to use that same method in this now tech-forward world that we’re in,” Kozakiewicz said.
Questions remain about disappearance
No additional details about Miscik’s disappearance have been released. State police identified the vehicle and man who drove her to Lancaster County, but it is unclear if he has been charged.
This case highlights how paying attention to social media can help solve cases like this.