Teenage Girl Missing for 19 Days Found Alive, 51-Year-Old Man Arrested

News ArticlePublishedMay 04, 2026 at 12:07 PM EDTupdatedMay 04, 2026 at 12:08 PM EDTBy Hollie SilvermanDeputy Weekend EditorA 14‑year‑old Connecticut girl missing for 19 days was found alive at a home in North Carolina, and a 51‑year‑old man has been arrested on kidnapping and statutory rape charges, according to the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office.The girl was reported missing to the Middletown Police Department on April 9, prompting a multistate search that eventually led investigators to North Carolina. On April 27, Connecticut authorities asked the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office for help, and deputies later located the teen inside a residence on Ocean Isle Beach. She was found with 51‑year‑old Justin Newman, who was taken into custody at the scene.Newman is now charged with first‑degree kidnapping and four counts of statutory rape of a child under 15, according to jail records at the Brunswick County Detention Center, where he is being held.Detectives said that Newman allegedly met the girl on social media. He then allegedly arranged a ride‑share vehicle to pick up the girl in Middletown and take her to a train station, where she boarded a train bound for North Carolina, news station WTNH reported.Prosecutors said during Newman’s initial court appearance