UPDATE: The Harris County Sheriff’s Office announced on Sunday night that authorities found Ashlee Hattermann safe in Mexico. According to the sheriff’s office, the FBI and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement participated in the search. To date, authorities have not specified in which Mexican city the girl was found–nor have they confirmed if there are any arrests in the case.
BREAKING: Ashlee Hattermann, 13, has been found safe in Mexico with cooperation from authorities there. Thank you @FBISanAntonio and all who helped in this search. #hounews
— HCSOTexas (@HCSOTexas) December 4, 2017
Big thanks to @ICEgov and @DHSgov for their work helping recover Ashlee Hattermann in Mexico City this evening. #hounews
— HCSOTexas (@HCSOTexas) December 4, 2017
Original report
Authorities on both sides of the border are working to find a missing 13-year-old girl who is believed to have run away and made her way to the Texas border and eventually into Mexico. Relatives believe the girl was lured by an older man and was trying to meet him.
According to authorities, 13-year-old Ashlee Hattermann was last seen in Katy on Friday morning.
FBI San Antonio Laredo office joined in investigation of missing 13-year-old Ashlee Hattermann, last seen in Katy, TX on Friday, 12/1. Ashlee traveled to Laredo, TX & crossed into Mexico late Friday. She is 5’7″, 130lbs, long brown hair, blue eyes. Call FBI 210-225-6741 pic.twitter.com/VruKKeNkBd
— FBI SanAntonio (@FBISanAntonio) December 3, 2017
From there, Hattermann is believed to have been able to talk a random person into helping her buy a bus ticket to Laredo and made her way to the border, the Houston Chronicle reported. The FBI has confirmed that Hattermann crossed into Mexico from Laredo into Nuevo Laredo and has since not been heard from again. At the time of her disappearance, Hattermann was wearing blue jeans, a blue shirt, jacket and brown boots. Since the girl is believed to have crossed into Mexico, the FBI is asking anyone who has seen her to call the nearest consulate or embassy or the FBI. Federal authorities have contacted their counterparts in Mexico and have asked them for assistance.
Surveillance of #missing 13 year-old Ashlee Hattermann from Katy, TX shows she was wearing jeans, blue shirt, jacket, brown boots and glasses on 12/1/2017. Please contact FBI 210-225-6741 or the nearest US Embassy or Consulate with any information. pic.twitter.com/cbaOAcCcCJ
— FBI SanAntonio (@FBISanAntonio) December 3, 2017
Relatives fear that the 13-year-old girl ran away to meet an adult man who had been trying to contact her since May, the Houston Chronicle reported.
Anyone with information on the case is asked to call the FBI San Antonio Office at 210-225-6741 Harris County Sheriff’s Office Runaway Unit at 713-274-9210. Those in Mexico are asked to call the nearest consulate or embassy.
Ildefonso Ortiz is an award-winning journalist with Breitbart Texas. He co-founded the Cartel Chronicles project with Brandon Darby and Stephen K. Bannon. You can follow him on Twitter and on Facebook.
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