Missing Long Island teen found safe, thanks to online tip
After four weeks of uncertainty and persistent searches, the father of 14-year-old Emmarae Gervasi can finally breathe a sigh of relief. The teenager, who was abducted from in front of her home in Patchogue, has been found safe and sound on a boat where she was being held.
The desperate father, along with search organizations, family, and friends, tirelessly searched for the missing girl.
He posted videos about his daughter online, publicized her disappearance on social media, and independently looked for clues to unravel the mystery of what happened to Emmarae after she vanished on December 6th from in front of her house.
After many weeks of searches involving state services, search dogs, and helicopters, a resolution finally came on the first weekend of the new year.
The girl's father received an anonymous phone call in which the caller revealed the location of the missing teenager. He dropped everything and followed the lead given by the mysterious caller.
After his daughter’s disappearance, Frank Gervasi received strange phone calls, one of which was allegedly from his daughter herself. It remains unknown who the man was that abducted Emmarae or what happened to her during the disappearance. However, the father assures that she is safe and sound and is receiving psychological care.
Michael Alcazar, a professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, emphasized that social media contributed to the positive resolution of the case.
"We rely heavily on the media and social media, Instagram, this gets to everybody, this gets everywhere. It’s eyes on the ground, millions of eyes that can help locate the missing person," Alcazar explained.
