Amber Alert cancelled as Sophia Franklin found safe, Gary Day in custody
UPDATE: BEAVER DAM, Wis. (CBS 58) — The Amber Alert for Sophia Franklin has been cancelled, after the Beaver Dam teen was found safe near Omaha, Nebraska on Wednesday, April 2, her 17th birthday.
The alert was issued on Feb. 3. Franklin, who was 16 at the time, was believed to be with 40-year-old Gary Day, and three months pregnant with his child.
Authorities said the two had met online, and it was the second time Day was believed to have taken Franklin from her Beaver Dam home.
After two months of uncertainty, Sophia's family says her father is heading to Nebraska to take her home.
"This is the answer to so many prayers. We're grateful," said her mother, Leah Franklin, on Thursday.
Her mother is relieved that her pregnant daughter is now safe, and the man who took her is in jail.
"We knew who she was with, this predator, and just being so repulsed by that. Not by Sophie, but by him, and wanting him out of her life completely," Leah Franklin said.
Authorities said Sophia and Day were found at a Love's truck stop in Sarpy County, Nebraska, near Omaha.
Beaver Dam Police Chief John Kreuziger said a couple noticed them and felt something wasn't right. The woman began talking to Sophia.
"During the conversation, she had some concerns, and some red flags come up, that stories didn't line up, things didn't make sense," Kreuziger explained.
The woman then then found Sophia's Amber Alert online and called 911.
The Sarpy County Sheriff's Office learned the two had hitchhiked with a truck driver after Day's car broke down in Idaho.
When deputies arrived, they said the two initially lied about their identities. Deputies used a mobile fingerprint scanner to identify Day.
"In this situation, this is a textbook example of someone making a 911 call because they didn't think something was right, we responded, and sure enough, he's got several warrants out of several states," said Sheriff Greg London.
Day was taken into custody, and Sophia was medically evaluated. Police say she and her baby are safe and healthy.
"We're excited to have her with us and take care of her like she deserves to be taken care of," her mother said through tears.
Chief Kreuziger believes this was a successful Amber Alert with a positive outcome.
"We put a lot of resources, and a lot of time, and a lot of effort into this case, and it's paid off," he said.
"I want to see justice served, and served swiftly, and never have to think about him again," Leah Franklin said.
Her mother hopes Sophia's case sends a message to parents about children's safety on social media.
"You can do all the right things, you can put parameters in place and try to be diligent, and it's an impossible task," she said. "We're opening them up to the entirety of the world before they're even ready for it."
Day is facing federal and state charges in Wisconsin, Arkansas, and Nebraska.
Police said more investigations are pending in other states. Homeland Security is also on the case.
"We'd like to get him extradited back to Wisconsin as soon as we can, but we also understand there's other jurisdictions that we need to work on," Kreuziger said.
Gary Day faces four felonies in Dodge County, Wisconsin: two counts of child enticement, and two counts of child abduction.
BEAVER DAM, Wis. (CBS 58) -- A Beaver Dam mother is pleading with her teenage daughter to come home. The 16-year-old is thought to be with the father of her unborn baby, a 40-year-old man with a criminal past.
Sophia Franklin's mom tells us the 16-year-old had no fear when it came to meeting strangers online. So, they did what parents do, but the tighter their technology restrictions, the more Sophia fought back. Now, all they want is for their daughter to come home.
"And she is our child. You had no right to take her," said Leah Franklin, mom of missing Beaver Dam teen Sophia Franklin.
Strong words spoken by a broken-hearted mother to the man who is believed to have her daughter.
"It's a different world. It just is," said Leah Franklin.
This is Gary Day, a man with a troubled past.
Father of two boys, he's on probation in Arkansas for child abuse. Last April, Sophia, a spunky teen who loves sports, music and makeup met Day, and their online relationship grew.
"We were being diligent. We had, you know, software in place and safety procedures. The more we had to do that, obviously, the angrier she got with that, but it was all to protect her," said Leah Franklin.
Last summer, Sophia didn't return home. Mom called the police. Police checked the McDonalds where she worked, and they found her.
"And so, we couldn't file a missing person's report because we knew where she was," said Leah Franklin.
Weeks went by, then months. Sophie told her parents she was staying with a friend. They gave her space but messaged her regularly.
"We would ask her questions like 'hey you want to come for a bonfire? Hey, do you want to do this?' And the answer was always 'no, I'm working,'" said Leah Franklin.
Leah believed her daughter was close by the Beaver Dam area. Then, a bomb shell. In December, a probationary officer in Arkansas checking up on Day found the 16-year-old Sophia living with him.
"It was just sheer panic like I've never felt before," said Leah Franklin.
Sophia returned home in time for the holidays, revealing she's pregnant.
"My 10-year-old had prayed that Sophie would be home for Christmas, and she was, so it was sweet," said Leah Franklin.
But weeks later, Sophie's dad found disturbing messages between the two. Court documents show Day referencing "suicide," then saying, "no one will care" and Sophie replying, "I'll care and so will our daughter."
Two days later, that's Gary Day outside the family's home.
He and Sophie haven't been seen since. This is the car they could be in.
Now, mom's hoping Sophia will see this message to her.
"There's so many people who are here to support you who want to help with everything, and I mean everything and it's ok, it's gonna be okay, we're gonna make sure it's okay," said Leah Franklin.
An Amber Alert remains in effect for Sophie Franklin. Here is a flyer if you'd like to help post it and help this family bring their daughter home.