Missing teenager disappears to Morocco to meet Facebook boyfriend

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Police found the 17-year-old safe and well.

A Connecticut teenager was initially feared missing, after her mother drove her to the JFK airport knowing she was headed to California to meet a friend. It was later discovered she flew to Casablanca, Morocco to meet her Facebook boyfriend. After worrying she may have met someone with a fake online persona, her family asked authorities to find her and they did.

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Highlights

By Hannah Marfil (NEWS CONSORTIUM)
Catholic Online (https://www.catholic.org)
7/14/2015 (8 years ago)

Published in Europe

Keywords: Teenager, Connecticut, Parents, Flight, California, Morocco, Casablanca, Facebook, Boyfriend, Deception, Rebecca Arthur, Simo El Adala

MUNTINLUPA, PHILIPPINES (Catholic Online) - Rebecca Arthur, 17, was later found at about 220 miles south of Casablanca, where she had arrived last Tuesday. According to NBC New York, she found safe by the police after her family believed she may have been in danger for meeting a potentially fake online persona she claimed to be her boyfriend.

Her mother told the police that she dropped Rebecca at the Delta Airline on Monday under the impression she was going to California.

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"The daughter had no intent of going to California," said Sgt. Jeremiah Dunn, spokesperson for the Clinton Police. They said Rebecca boarded the plane to Morocco to meet a Simo El Adala, who they believe paid for her fare.

El Adala was linked to Arthur's Facebook profile, listed as someone she is in a relationship with. This relationship was later found to be ongoing for six months already. His online profile had Rebecca's pictures and posted he is from Uruguay.

Sgt. Dunn claimed their initial concern was whether El Adala was a fake persona or not, and Rebecca Arthur's life was in danger.

However, the police who found her said "She is safe. She is with the gentleman that she intended to be with." It appears that El Adala also deceived his own parents about the trip.

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