Action 3 News - Omaha, Nebraska News, Weather, and Sports | Missing Council Bluffs Teen Gains National Attention
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Omaha, NE - Tonight a mother makes an emotional plea for her missing teenage daughter to come home to Council Bluffs. The teen and the man she's dating did stop in Illinois last night, but remain on the run today. Now, their story is getting national attention.
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children has now picked up the case. The man Janakaye Lee is believed to be with was set to turn himself in yesterday for sexual abuse charges surrounding his relationship with the missing 14-year old girl, instead the two took off.
A mother brought to tears as she makes a plea for her missing teen daughter. "I just want her to know that I love her, I miss her, and please come home," says mom Shelly Lee. Posters of the teen alongside 19-year-old Steven Hecker, who she's believed to be with, are put up all over the state of Illinois. This, after the two show up to his grandparents house in Sorento, Illinois late Monday night. Before police could apprehend the two, they took off. "I got confirmation she was ok, she's not ok until she gets home and I can see her."
While, Shelly Lee waits anxiously praying for her daughter's safe return, we're learning more about what lead up to her disappearance. It was at Thomas Jefferson high school that the teen was last spotted. Friends tell her mom she came here Monday morning, grabbed some clothes from her locker, then took off.
The Pottawattamie County Sheriff believes the trip was planned. Her mom tells me Hecker gave her an engagement ring and most recently she'd taken several pregnancy tests, all of which according to mom came back negative. While, Shelly doesn't believe Hecker would hurt her daughter, she begs him to bring her home. "We just miss her, please bring her back."
Police believe the teens are riding in a black Mitsubishi Eclipse with Iowa license plates.
Reported by Molli Graham, mgraham@action3news.com
