Miami-Dade girl believed to have been abducted found 'safe and unharmed'

Mother of teen says she believes daughter, stepfather had secret relationship

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – A 16-year-old girl thought to have been abducted has been found "safe and unharmed," Miami-Dade police said Monday.

Glenda Agustin-Juarez was reported missing after she left her southwest Miami-Dade home on Nov. 26 and didn't return. Authorities believed she was with her stepfather, 27-year-old Elmer Helcias Tiu Carreto, who had left the family on Nov. 23.

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Police did not disclose whether Glenda was found with Helcias. Authorities had described Glenda as "endangered" and said Helcias was wanted for questioning in her abduction. 

Authorities said any charges against Helcias would be determined by what Glenda says in her interview with police. 

Glenda's mother, Lorena Juarez, said her daughter called her from Georgia on Monday. Juarez  said Glenda was upset after seeing news reports about her case on TV. Juarez then contacted police who found Glenda unharmed.

Juarez said that she suspected Glenda and her stepfather were having a secret relationship.

"Something was happening," Lorena Juarez said in Spanish on Sunday. "When I asked they didn't say anything, but there is too much coincidence. He was distant and didn't care and started treating me bad. Then he left, then she left too."

It's unclear if Glenda will return to her mother's home.

Juarez said Monday that she had not heard from Helcias and that would not be welcome back in her home.