Missing girl found 'intentionally hiding' in closet under trapdoor

Police officials unveiled the alarming details regarding the disappearance of a 14-year-old girl, Kaylee, after finding her ‘intentionally hiding’ in a closet under a hidden trapdoor at a house in California.

A 14-year-old girl identified only by her first name of Kaylee had gone missing in California’s Calaveras County on October 22.

According to reports, the local police department was told by her mother that she had permitted her daughter, who appears to live in Jackson, to spend a few nights at a friend’s home in West Point.

When the mother went to pick the girl up on October 22, the occupants of the home told her that Kaylee had left on foot, whereas, investigators found no evidence for her presence in the house during a search.

Calaveras County Sheriff’s returned to the West Point house with a search warrant after a week on October 30 and found the girl ‘intentionally hiding’ in a closet. Before the search starts,  the residents kept insisting the officers that the girl was not there.

The search also led to the discovery of a hidden area where the girl had apparently spent time during the period she was missing, Mercury News reported. When detectives found her she was hiding behind some hanging clothes, according to Dailymail UK.

“As deputies continued to search the residence for evidence, they located a hidden ‘trapdoor’ that led to a makeshift sleeping area located on the dirt floor under the house,” read a police statement obtained by the Mercury News.  “Inside the sleeping area, detectives located bedding and a phone belonging to [the girl].”

While it remains uncertain why a missing person’s alert was not shared after Kaylee’s family reported her missing, Calaveras County Sheriff’s Sgt.

Sgt Greg Stark told CrimeOnline that they are investigating the matter and the girl is receiving ‘appropriate care.’ He added that investigators have not found anything yet to indicate Kaylee was or is being mistreated at home.

After the recovery of the girl, three arrests were made by the local police. The arrested persons include Isaiah Haggard, 20, and Annie Pearl Abernathy, 41, who were charged with felony child endangerment, providing false information to a peace officer, and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

Stark confirmed that both suspects remain in custody on $100,000 bail as of Wednesday morning.

A third suspect, 34-year-old Jose Tinocopureco, was arrested on misdemeanor charges of providing false information to a peace officer and contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and has since been released from custody with a citation.