Erika Kacicova, 13, had been missing for more than one week as a third man is arrested on suspicion of child abduction
A 13-year-old girl from Sheffield who has been missing since last Monday has been found safe and well in Bradford city centre, police said. A third man has now been arrested on suspicion of child abduction.
Erika Kacicova was found on her own in Centenary Square at around 6.40pm following an extensive police operation throughout the day which involved speaking to people believed to have been in contact with her over the last couple of days.
South Yorkshire police said that the girl's family had been informed and a 41-year-old man from Bradford who was known to the teenager had been arrested and was taken to Sheffield to be interviewed.
A 37-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of child abduction earlier today and remains in custody.
That arrest came after police reiterated appeals to find the girl, saying the disappearance was out of character and they were increasingly worried for her welfare.
A 22-year-old man who was arrested on suspicion of child abduction after he handed himself in to police on Friday was released on bail on Sunday.
Erika went missing at around 4pm last Monday and police had said they had received numerous calls after an appeal on Sunday.
DI Helen Tate, of South Yorkshire police, said: "It's fantastic news that we now have Erika, safe and well … our primary aim now is to concentrate on Erika's wellbeing and begin to piece together her movements since she left home last Monday.
"We are working with local authority and partner agencies for the appropriate support for Erika and to assist with the investigation. I have been overwhelmed by the way the public and the media have responded to our appeals and I am extremely grateful for their help and support throughout this investigation."
About 50 police staff were working on the case, Tate said. Appeals to find the schoolgirl were made in English and Slovak, her native language, as the search entered its second week.
The police search had centred on the Sheffield and Bradford areas where it was known that she had friends. A number of addresses in the Bradford area were also searched.
There had been a number of unconfirmed sightings of her over the course of the past day and a half, according to police.
Tate expressed confidence earlier on Monday that the force was "closing in" as a result of the information collected knitting together. Reported by guardian.co.uk 40 minutes ago.
A 13-year-old girl from Sheffield who has been missing since last Monday has been found safe and well in Bradford city centre, police said. A third man has now been arrested on suspicion of child abduction.
Erika Kacicova was found on her own in Centenary Square at around 6.40pm following an extensive police operation throughout the day which involved speaking to people believed to have been in contact with her over the last couple of days.
South Yorkshire police said that the girl's family had been informed and a 41-year-old man from Bradford who was known to the teenager had been arrested and was taken to Sheffield to be interviewed.
A 37-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of child abduction earlier today and remains in custody.
That arrest came after police reiterated appeals to find the girl, saying the disappearance was out of character and they were increasingly worried for her welfare.
A 22-year-old man who was arrested on suspicion of child abduction after he handed himself in to police on Friday was released on bail on Sunday.
Erika went missing at around 4pm last Monday and police had said they had received numerous calls after an appeal on Sunday.
DI Helen Tate, of South Yorkshire police, said: "It's fantastic news that we now have Erika, safe and well … our primary aim now is to concentrate on Erika's wellbeing and begin to piece together her movements since she left home last Monday.
"We are working with local authority and partner agencies for the appropriate support for Erika and to assist with the investigation. I have been overwhelmed by the way the public and the media have responded to our appeals and I am extremely grateful for their help and support throughout this investigation."
About 50 police staff were working on the case, Tate said. Appeals to find the schoolgirl were made in English and Slovak, her native language, as the search entered its second week.
The police search had centred on the Sheffield and Bradford areas where it was known that she had friends. A number of addresses in the Bradford area were also searched.
There had been a number of unconfirmed sightings of her over the course of the past day and a half, according to police.
Tate expressed confidence earlier on Monday that the force was "closing in" as a result of the information collected knitting together. Reported by guardian.co.uk 40 minutes ago.