Two teenage girls from Hong Kong have been found safe on the mainland, almost a week after they were reported missing. A man who allegedly lured the girls to cross the border has been arrested.
The missing pair, aged 12 and 14, both Form One students at Ju Ching Chu Secondary School in Tuen Mun, were reported missing by their families on Sunday and Monday respectively. They were later found to have crossed the border to the mainland on Sunday, before heading to Xiamen, Fujian Province by highspeed rail with a man. Shenzhen police made a public appeal on its microblog and later found all three of them in a rented house, according to SCMP.
The 18-year-old man from Jiangsu allegedly told police that he met the girls online and had promised them jobs and entertainment if they visited him in Xiamen, reports Apple Daily. He was arrested on suspicion of child abduction. Police are reportedly investigating if the man is linked to any human trafficking syndicates.
The girls were taken to a local hospital and confirmed to be unharmed. Shenzhen police said they had left home due to family issues. The teens’ parents have gone to Shenzhen to pick them up and are expected to meet with Hong Kong police when they return to the city.
