LENOIR CITY, Tenn. (WOKI / WVLT) — A 13-year-old girl at the center of an Endangered Child Alert has been safely recovered after investigators used a combination of citizen-provided video evidence and Flock Safety license plate reader technology to track her location across state lines.
The Lenoir City Police Department announced that two North Carolina residents have been arrested in connection with the case.
The search began after the teenager was reported missing and endangered, prompting a large-scale response involving multiple agencies, including Loudon County E-911, the Tennessee Highway Patrol, Lenoir City Fire Department, Loudon County Fire and Rescue, Loudon County Emergency Management Agency, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, and Priority EMS.
While initial search efforts did not immediately locate the girl, investigators received a major lead less than 24 hours after she disappeared.
According to Lenoir City Police, a concerned citizen provided video footage captured using Meta Smart Glasses, allowing detectives to identify the vehicle believed to be transporting the teen. Police said it was the first time the wearable technology had been used to assist the department in an active investigation.
“This is a prime example of the difference one concerned community member reporting their observations to authorities can make in helping achieve a safe outcome,” the department said in a statement.
Using information obtained from the video, detectives identified the vehicle and then turned to Flock Safety License Plate Reader cameras to track its movements.
Police said investigators were able to locate the vehicle within approximately 30 minutes and traced it to a possible address in Jackson County, North Carolina.
Deputies in North Carolina responded to the location and safely recovered the missing teen within about two hours of receiving the video evidence. Authorities said the girl was found safe approximately 28 hours after she was initially reported missing.
Investigators subsequently arrested 70-year-old Michael VanWinkle and 21-year-old Robert Queen, both of North Carolina.
According to police, the two suspects have been charged with:
- Contributing to the delinquency of a minor
- Harboring a runaway child
Both men remain in custody in North Carolina pending extradition proceedings back to Tennessee.
Lenoir City Police credited the successful outcome to cooperation between community members, local law enforcement agencies, emergency responders, state authorities, and North Carolina investigators.
Officials also highlighted the role that emerging technologies, including wearable video devices and license plate reader systems, played in locating the endangered child and bringing the investigation to a swift conclusion.
The investigation remains ongoing.
