Man, 65, Arrested After Missing Dearborn Heights Girl Found Safe: Cops

DEARBORN HEIGHTS, MI — A 65-year-old man has been arrested in the case of a 16-year-old Dearborn Heights girl who was missing for over a month, according to police.

Tasia Keaton, whom police feared may have been a victim of sex trafficking, was found safe at 1:40 p.m. Wednesday in an apartment near Warren Avenue and Inkster Road in Dearborn Heights. She was placed into Child Protective Services, according to police.

The older man was in the apartment with Keaton and police believe there was sexual contact, but rape kit test results were still pending.

Moreover, the man initially denied knowing of Keaton's whereabouts, before officers executed a search warrant and found her in the apartment, according to police.

Police believe Keaton randomly met the older man a few days after she ran away from Vista Maria, a social services housing facility, on March 14, according to police.

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.

Investigators are also trying to determine if the teen was sexually trafficked.

"It's hard because you sit here and wonder, we've been looking for you for almost three weeks," Dearborn Heights Police Chief Ahmed Haidar said at a news conference Thursday. "You know you had a phone, you never reached out. What were you promised, what were you scared of? That's what we're going to find out."

Keaton was seen on surveillance video either late on March 14 or in the early morning hours on March 15 in the area of Stout Street and Joy Road in Detroit where she was picked up by a man, police said.

Police believe she was then taken to a hotel and assaulted before she was returned to the Stout and Joy area.

On March 17, Keaton was seen on surveillance video being picked up by a different man and taken to a Redford hotel where police believe she was again assaulted and then brought back, police said.

Police identified one of the men as a man in his mid-30s. The other man was still unknown.

She was then last seen at Beech Daly and Joy roads on March 17, before officers found her Wednesday, police said.

Police did not identify the older man she was found living with in the apartment. He is not cooperating with investigators and could be charged in connection with the case. Police said he has no criminal history.

Police credited the widespread news media and social media attention for directing numerous tips to their officers for investigation.

"We are thankful Ms. Keaton has been found alive and safe. She is now in good hands, which is a huge relief to all of us who were involved with attempting to locate her and bring her home," Haidar said.