BEAVER DAM, Wis. (WBAY/Gray News) – The family of a pregnant 16-year-old who is the subject of an Amber alert released a statement Monday pleading for her return.
In a statement, her parents said:
Sophia Franklin is believed to be with 40-year-old Gary Day, who is the father of her unborn child.
Last week, charges were filed against Day for child abduction and child enticement.
The criminal complaint details that Sophia and Day began communicating online in April 2023 through multiple devices. By July, Day picked up Sophia and on August 1, the two were in Arkansas, where Day lives.
Lonoke County Sheriff John Staley said officers did a probation check on Day in December and found Sophia at his home.
Sophia’s father reported her missing on Feb. 3 after camera footage from the previous day caught her getting into a vehicle with a person believed to be Day.
“Gary Day needs to come see us. He needs to turn himself in. Go to his local law enforcement. He can come here, if he’s close by. He needs to turn himself in,” said Staley. “Our goal is to get her home safe, and we’ve done it once we’re going to we’ll do it again.”
Sophia is a white female. She is 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighs 186 pounds. She has brown hair and blue eyes.
Day is a white male with blonde hair and green eyes. He is 5 feet 7 inches tall and weighs 165 pounds.
Anyone with information about their whereabouts is asked to call Beaver Dam Police Department at 888-304-3936.
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