A 15-year-old girl from Spring Lake, North Carolina, was safely recovered after being abducted in the early hours of February 25. The case led to an Amber Alert, prompting an immediate response from the Harnett County Sheriff’s Office, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Thanks to the coordinated efforts of the SBI’s Criminal Apprehension Team (CAT) and the FBI, investigators utilized electronic surveillance and gathered intelligence to track the victim’s whereabouts. The investigation revealed that the teenager had been transported to Kitty Hawk, NC, and Virginia Beach, VA, by two suspects.
Working alongside the Kitty Hawk Police Department, authorities successfully located the victim in a residence in Kitty Hawk, where she was safely recovered.
Two suspects were arrested in connection with the crime: Elihue Martin Mahler, 31, from Virginia Beach, VA, and Austyn Lee Cole, 23, from Kitty Hawk, NC. Both face multiple serious charges, including felony human trafficking of a child victim, felony kidnapping, felony conspiracy to kidnap, and felony conspiracy to commit human trafficking.
The swift actions of law enforcement agencies and the Amber Alert system were key in ensuring the victim’s safe return. The investigation is ongoing, and further details regarding the suspects’ actions and connections to the crime may emerge.
