Erika VonDwingelo, a missing Connecticut teen, has been found safe. On New Year’s Eve, 19-year-old Erika VonDwingelo, who went on a date with a man whom she met online, had vanished. Connecticut police have issued a statement on late Friday, January 2nd, saying that they were able to locate Erika VonDwingelo who is safe and sound.
The story of “Erika VonDwingelo missing Connecticut teen” has a happy ending. A family in Naugatuck, Connecticut can sleep better tonight, after learning that their child has been found.
On New Year’s Eve, 19-year-old Erika VonDwingelo, told her mother she was going on a date with a man she met online.
VonDwingelo left the family home at around 8 p.m., wearing black boots, blue jeans, a black sweatshirt, and was never heard or seen from again.
Erika VonDwingelo, who works at a Stop & Shop store, had her phone turned off. According to the police, the Connecticut teen went out with a man whose first name is Chris.
No one knows Chris’ last name or has any other information on him. While the mother was at home when Chris picked her daughter up, she failed to see his face, or get a glimpse of the vehicle he was driving.
The family assumed two things could have happened to their child. They believed that she was either abducted by this mysterious man named Chris, or she was angered by her parents’ recent divorce, and decided to run away.
Not knowing what happened to his precious daughter, John Vondwinglo Sr. pleaded with her to come home. The worried father said at the time:
“I just want my daughter home.”
Vondwinglo went on to talk about his close relationship with Erika by saying:
“She usually calls me every day … she usually lets us know where she is.Hopefully she just met this guy and they hit it off and she didn’t want to come home.”
Lt. Bryan Cammarata, who is with the Naugatuck Police Department, released the following information about Erika VonDwingelo:
“She is 5 foot 7 and weighs about 275 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes.”
Late Friday night, Cammarata was happy to issue another statement, where he revealed that the teenager was found safe and sound. No other information was given; therefore, no one knows if Chris was involved in the matter, or if Erika took a break from her parents.
According to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, more than 462,567 children are currently missing, so it is certain that the Vondwinglos are grateful for their happy ending.
Erika VonDwingelo found safe, and an entire community is now celebrating her return.
