Teen girl found in woods after she was lured by sexual predator from online gaming platform
A missing Tennessee teen was found alive in the woods of Louisiana after being abandoned by a man she met days earlier on an online gaming platform.
Alexander Materne, 28, allegedly drove the 14-year-old’s home in Tennessee before returning her to his home more than 500 miles away in St. Rose, Louisiana.
The couple then allegedly engaged in ‘sexual acts’, after which she revealed her age to Materne statement from the St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office reads.
At some point, the minor female left the St. Rose location and Materne purchased her a tent, food and water before abandoning her in a wooded area in Tangipahoa Parish.
Materne then traveled about 160 miles away, to Jennings, to celebrate Christmas with his family, leaving the girl in the woods.
With their daughter’s location unknown, the 14-year-old girl’s family conducted their own investigation when they discovered she was linked to Materne.
“The real break in the case, however, came when the girl’s parents did their own investigation and followed Materne to Jennings, Louisiana, where his family lived,” said Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff Gerald Stinger.
Alexander Materne, 28, allegedly drove the 14-year-old’s home in Tennessee before returning her to his home 500 miles away in St. Rose, Louisiana
At some point later, the minor female left the St. Rose location and Materne purchased her a tent, food and water before abandoning her in a wooded area in Tangipahoa Parish.
Sticker added that the two met on a gaming platform and made a plan for Materne to drive to her home in Tennessee. In the photo: Alexander Materne
“They were the key to all of this,” Sticker said. “I’m telling you, if they want a job, I will hire both parents as investigators.”
Sticker added that the two met on a gaming platform and made a plan for Materne to drive to her home in Tennessee.
Jennings police first learned of the alleged kidnapping after Chief Danny Semmes received a call on Christmas Eve that Materne may have the girl in Jennings.
However, when officers checked at the family home, they were told he no longer lived there.
The next day, police were notified that Materne had attended the family home to celebrate Christmas and he agreed to an interview with officers.
Authorities said Materne then took detectives to the girl’s location in the woods several miles from his home. They think she was there about two days.
‘You can’t make this up. It’s a Christmas miracle that she was found safe. This case could have ended badly,” Sticker said.
The girl was transported to a hospital for evaluation and later returned to her family, investigators said.