Missing teen Emmarae found safe on boat after month-long search
After four weeks of uncertainty and persistent searches, the father of 14-year-old Emmarae Gervasi can breathe a sigh of relief. After the teenager was abducted from in front of her home in Patchogue, she was found safe and sound on a boat where she was being held.
The missing girl was being searched for by her desperate father, search organisations he engaged, as well as family and friends.
The father posted videos about his daughter online, publicised her disappearance on social media, and independently searched for clues that could unravel the mystery of what happened to his 14-year-old daughter after she disappeared on 6th December from in front of her house.
After many weeks of searches that involved state services, search dogs, and helicopters, a resolution came in the first weekend of the new year.
The girl's father received an anonymous phone call, and the caller revealed where the missing teenager was located. The man dropped everything and followed the lead given by the mysterious caller.
After his daughter’s disappearance, Frank Gervasi received strange phone calls, one of which was supposedly from his daughter herself. It is unknown who the strange man who abducted the teenager was or what happened to her during her disappearance. However, the father assures that the girl is safe and sound and is under psychological care.
Michael Alcazar, a professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, emphasised that social media contributed to the positive resolution of the case.
"We rely heavily on the media and social media, Instagram, this gets to everybody, this gets everywhere. It’s eyes on the ground, millions of eyes that can help locate the missing person," Alcazar explained.
