Dearborn Heights Man Found With Runaway Teen Sentenced

DEARBORN HEIGHTS, MI — A Dearborn Heights man was sentenced Friday to three years probation after he was caught with a teen who ran away from a nearby housing facility for more than a month.

Kamal Abou Darwiche was originally charged with child sexually abusive activity (20-year felony), delivery of marijuana to a minor (eight-year felony) and harboring runaways (one-year misdemeanor).

He later pleaded guilty to child sexual abuse and harboring a runaway. The marijuana charges were dropped as part of his plea deal. He was also placed on the sex offender registry and cannot have contact the teen.

Police said the 16-year-old girl ran away from Vista Maria in Dearborn Heights on March 14. She was later found safe on April 23 in Darwiche's apartment near Warren Avenue and Inkster Road in Dearborn Heights, police said.

When officers arrived at the apartment, police said Darwiche initially denied knowing of the teen's whereabouts, before officers executed a search warrant and found her in the apartment. Police believe she randomly met Darwiche a few days after she ran away from Vista Maria, a social services housing facility.

Police said the teen lived in his apartment for the following weeks. They do not believe she was forced to live there, but do think she was scared to leave. She also had access to a cell phone, but only when the man was around, police said.

Police initially feared the teen may have been a sex trafficking victim, and later determined Darwiche made or attempted to make child porn, though the extent of the crimes was unknown.

Darwiche, who is in the United States on a temporary visa, also faces the possibility of deportation.