Florida girls steal parent’s car, drive 400 miles to meet online friend

Author: C. Mandler / CBS New York
Published: Updated:
Jade Gregory, 12, and 14-year-old Khloe Larsen. Credit: Union County Sheriff’s Office

Two Florida girls who stole a car and drove 400 miles to meet somebody they’d met online are back at home.

Jade Gregory, 12, and 14-year-old Khloe Larsen stole Jade’s father’s car to travel across state lines with the intention of meeting someone they’d been speaking to online, Union County Police Department Captain Lyn Williams confirmed to CBS News.

The girls were last seen in their hometown of Lake Butler and were reported missing on Thursday morning before being found that same day in Bayou La Batre, Alabama. At the time, the Union County Sheriff’s Office said they were not with an adult, and no foul play was suspected.

The girls traveled around 400 miles from Florida en route to Louisiana and were under the impression that they were traveling to meet a teenager they’d connected with online, whose identity is still unknown. Investigations are ongoing, according to Williams.

“Many thanks to the multiple agencies involved throughout Florida, Alabama and Louisiana,” said the Union County Sheriff’s Office in a Facebook post following the girls’ return.

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