Milwaukee Missing Girl Found in Virginia After 4-Year Kidnapping Case

A missing persons case dating back four years in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, has come to a close after the victim was located in Blacksburg, Virginia, leading to severe felony charges against a suspect in two states.

Authorities say Owen Anderson began communicating with the victim in 2019 when she was 12 years old. According to a criminal complaint, Anderson blackmailed and manipulated the victim over the next three years, coercing her into sending explicit messages and images.

Investigators state that on June 23, 2022, the victim left her Wisconsin home following instructions from Anderson and took a rideshare to Chicago. Upon meeting her, Anderson allegedly reset and disposed of her cell phone before transporting her across state lines.

The complaint alleges the victim arrived on June 26, 2022, at the residence where she would be held against her will. During her time in captivity, police say Anderson prevented her from attending school and subjected her to repeated physical and sexual abuse.

Her ordeal ended on May 23 when Blacksburg Police Department officers responded to a domestic dispute call and brought her to a local resource center. Although she initially withheld her identity, she later contacted police to reveal her real name and report that she had been abused and held against her will.

Blacksburg police arrested Anderson on May 26. He faces charges in Virginia including abduction of a child, child endangerment, and strangulation. The victim was reunited with her family shortly after his arrest.

On July 24, prosecutors in Milwaukee County also filed charges against Anderson for kidnapping, child enticement, and child abduction.

Anderson is being held at the Western Virginia Regional Jail. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for August 21.

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