FBI agents and Broward Sheriff's Office deputies located a 12-year-old girl, who had been missing from North Carolina since Sunday with a registered sex offender.
Abigaile Lefevers and Timothy Newman, 38, were found in a restaurant parking lot just off of I-95 in the Miami area.
They were found after trying to use Abigaile's father's stolen debit card at a Miami area gas station.
Abigaile was taken to the hospital to be checked out. Newman was arrested.
According to the Carteret County Sheriff's Office, Abigaile was last seen by her father at home on Sunday at approximately 10 p.m. When he awoke Monday morning at approximately 6:25, he noticed that she was missing.
Newman was last seen at approximately 10 p.m. Sunday by his roommate. When Newman's roommate awoke Monday morning, Newman was missing from the residence. He did not show for work Monday morning.
Abigaile's father says surveillance video shows Newman using his stolen debit card in Jacksonville, NC after they left together Sunday night.
Police issued warrants for Newman, 38, a registered sex offender from North Carolina. Newman lived across the street from Abigaile's grandmother, which is how he met the girl. He had been texting her and had been in contact with her in recent weeks.
At one time in the investigation, it was believed the two may have been on the Grand Strand.
NewsChannel 15 rode along with a Surfside Beach police officer Tuesday evening as he looked for the car. Click here to watch that story.
According to the North Carolina Sex Offender Registry, Newman was convicted in 2004 of two counts of Sexual Offense with Certain Victims. He served two years and three months and three years of probation. According to North Carolina law, the Sexual Offense with Certain Victims statute includes intercourse and other sex acts with a child for whom you have some responsibility, including one living in your home or who you teach or coach.
