Crime & Safety

Second Missing Southold Teen Found Safely

Police have made an arrest in the case.

Once again, a girl was reported missing in Southold Town -- and found safey.

Southold Town Police said that on Monday at 9:08 a.m., they received report of a missing 14-year-old Mattituck female from a parent who discovered his daughter had left the residence sometime overnight.

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Police said, similar to a previous missing person investigation, a note was left by the missing teen causing family and the police concern over her safety.

Recently, the case of Peconic teen who was missing for 11 days, brought a community together in the hopes of bringing her home; she ultimately returned to Southold safely. Ashley had left a suicide note.

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Southold Town Police Chief Martin Flatley said Wednesday that the note was "somewhat similar in nature, but not anywhere near as explicit." 

In the most recent case, detectives initiated an investigation, and after pursuing numerous leads, with the assistance of State University of New York Police, located the missing female in a dormitory at a state college in Westchester County in the company of Charles Matthews, 18, a student.

Matthews, of Shirley, is a a reported acquaintence of the missing teen.

He was arrested Tuesday at 7:21 p.m. and transported back to Southold Town police headquarters. Matthews was charged with endangering the welfare of a child and obstructing governmental administration in the second degree, both misdemeanors.

The obstructing governmental administration charge was a result of Matthews not being forthcoming with information as to the whereabouts of the missing teen, police said. Matthews was processed and released on $250 cash bail.

Police said the girl and her family had recently moved to Mattituck. "We knew that her family ties were back in the Mastic/Shirley area, which  gave us some direction to move in," Flatley said.

Flatley said he believes the Mattituck teen is now home with her family.

Last week, police said while the Murray case remains open, no criminal charges have been filed.



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