INDEPENDENCE, MO -
A missing metro teen was found in St. Joseph on Thursday morning, after police issued an Amber Alert when she was last seen dropping a friend off at school on Wednesday morning. Her car was found hours later in a parking lot in Independence, Mo., with her cell phone, purse and belongings still inside.
"You can't put words, there is no word I can use, that would explain the joy," said Gary Green, father, relieved his daughter was found safe.
St. Joseph police said that Makenzie R. Green, 16, was found with a juvenile male at 5:35 a.m. on Thursday.
"We were operating under the circumstances that we were looking for someone that probably wasn't willingly with someone else," said Ken Bergman, Independence police detective.
Police said that a 911 call directed them to the 500 block of Thompson Avenue in St. Joseph. The caller said Green may be at that location and when officers arrived, Green came out of the house.
According to police, Green recently ended a relationship with her boyfriend and was believed to be with him, but police did not say if that was who she was found with. Police said that Green made statements indicating she was taken against her will. Authorities said her boyfriend recently made harmful threats toward her.
"Her belongings were still in the car including her cell phone," Sgt. Dennis Green with Independence Police said. "There was a message on it for her dad to find her and she was scared and wanted her dad to find her. He then notified the police department and we began our search at that point."
Police said Green and the male were both found in the home on the south side of St. Joseph by Independence police and are being questioned.
Independence police spent the evening searching Blue Springs, Oak Grove, Independence and St. Joseph before Green was located.
"I want to thank God, the power of prayer and the Independence police department is what made this a happy ending," said Gary Green.
Police said they are still investigating the message on Green's cell phone, trying to determine if she was taken against or will or if she went to St. Joseph willingly.
Kansas City police are the ones who canceled the Amber Alert, and told FOX 4 that police had found Curtis Hagey with Green. He's the same man friends said was Green's ex-boyfriend, and the same teen who family members told police had threatened, not only Green in the past, but also them.
When asked about those threats, the family declined to comment. And Independence police still will not confirm the name of the young man Green was found with in St. Joseph.
"You can't put words, there is no word I can use, that would explain the joy," said Gary Green, father, relieved his daughter was found safe.
St. Joseph police said that Makenzie R. Green, 16, was found with a juvenile male at 5:35 a.m. on Thursday.
"We were operating under the circumstances that we were looking for someone that probably wasn't willingly with someone else," said Ken Bergman, Independence police detective.
Police said that a 911 call directed them to the 500 block of Thompson Avenue in St. Joseph. The caller said Green may be at that location and when officers arrived, Green came out of the house.
According to police, Green recently ended a relationship with her boyfriend and was believed to be with him, but police did not say if that was who she was found with. Police said that Green made statements indicating she was taken against her will. Authorities said her boyfriend recently made harmful threats toward her.
"Her belongings were still in the car including her cell phone," Sgt. Dennis Green with Independence Police said. "There was a message on it for her dad to find her and she was scared and wanted her dad to find her. He then notified the police department and we began our search at that point."
Police said Green and the male were both found in the home on the south side of St. Joseph by Independence police and are being questioned.
Independence police spent the evening searching Blue Springs, Oak Grove, Independence and St. Joseph before Green was located.
"I want to thank God, the power of prayer and the Independence police department is what made this a happy ending," said Gary Green.
Police said they are still investigating the message on Green's cell phone, trying to determine if she was taken against or will or if she went to St. Joseph willingly.
Kansas City police are the ones who canceled the Amber Alert, and told FOX 4 that police had found Curtis Hagey with Green. He's the same man friends said was Green's ex-boyfriend, and the same teen who family members told police had threatened, not only Green in the past, but also them.
When asked about those threats, the family declined to comment. And Independence police still will not confirm the name of the young man Green was found with in St. Joseph.
