Crime & Safety

Man, 62, Caught With Missing Metro Detroit Teen Faces Charges: Reports

Police said the teen was missing for more than a month before she was found safe at the man's apartment in Dearborn Heights.

DEARBORN HEIGHTS, MI — A 62-year-old man is facing charges after he was found with a teen who ran away from a Dearborn Heights housing facility for more than a month, according to local reports.

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

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.

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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.

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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 were immediately unknown.

Darwiche, who is in the United States on a temporary visa, was placed in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody as he awaits arraignment, reports said.

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