A 17-year-old girl who disappeared from her home in Utah in May 2025 has been found safe in Oregon after contacting another player through the online multiplayer game Among Us, reports The Newsly.

Kylie Arellano, who was 15 when she went missing from Garden City, Utah, was last seen by her family on 29 May 2025.

Citing court documents, The Newsly reports that she managed to contact another young player through the game in October 2026 and later moved their conversation to another platform, where she disclosed her identity and said she was being held against her will.

The other player’s mother contacted the FBI, and investigators arranged a video call that helped confirm Kylie’s location.

On 1 November 2026, law enforcement officers recovered her from a residence in Oregon, according to the FBI.

In a press release issued that day, the FBI said Oregon law enforcement officers, working with FBI Salt Lake City and the Rich County Sheriff’s Office, had safely recovered the teenager, according to NBC News.

A 39-year-old man found with her was taken into custody without incident. The man was later identified as Adam Hunter Harmel.

He has been charged with transporting Kylie across state lines with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, NBC News reports.

Court records did not list a lawyer for Harmel, while the federal public defender’s office declined to say whether it represented him.

The FBI did not initially identify the man or disclose the charges he might face, saying the investigation was ongoing.

“We are grateful she can return home, and we will continue working with our partners to hold those responsible accountable,” FBI Director Kash Patel said.

Family kept hope alive for more than 500 days

In December, NBC’s Dateline spoke with Kylie’s mother, Stephanie Coleman, about her daughter’s disappearance as part of its ‘Missing in America’ series.

Coleman recalled that she and Kylie had exchanged text messages on the night she went missing.

“She goes, ‘I love you, Mama. Goodnight.’ I said, ‘I love you too, baby girl,'” Coleman told Dateline. “That was at 9:44pm. Her phone turned off at 9:52pm.”

The family realised Kylie was missing the following morning. Her jacket had been left in the driveway, some belongings were packed, and her Xbox was gone, Coleman said.

Initially, she thought her daughter might have left voluntarily. But as time passed, she began to doubt that Kylie had intended to stay away for so long.

Despite efforts by the Rich County Sheriff’s Office to investigate possible sightings and examine digital evidence, Kylie remained missing.

“I am keeping hope Kylie is out there. I will never give up on Kylie,” Coleman said during the interview.

After her daughter was found, Coleman posted a message on the ‘Help Bring Kylie Arellano Home’ Facebook page: “My babygirl was found SAFE today!! We did it KOAS ARMY.”

Dateline said it had contacted Coleman for further details but had not received a response.