10-year-old Sophie Long has been found in a foreign country, authorities say. Photo / Facebook
10-year-old Sophie Long has been found in a foreign country, authorities say. Photo / Facebook
A 10-year-old girl who has been missing since July has been found safe in a foreign country with her fugitive father.
Texas girl Sophie Long was located in a foreign country after a bitter custody battle which saw her dad refusing to hand over his daughter to her maternal aunty.
Long's disappearance sparked a campaign called "Stand With Sophie" following claims of child sex abuse.
While police refuse to say what country she was found in, they said she and her dad could have been en route to Argentina or Mexico.
"Sophie Long has been located in a foreign country and is in protective custody. Arrangements are being made for her safe return to her family in the United States.
"Many months of determined work by my deputies, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the US Marshals paid off this morning," Collin County Sheriff Jim Skinner said in a statement.
"We are so happy Sophie is safe."
Sophie was reported missing back in July after her dad took off with her. Photo / US Police / Facebook
Her father, Michael Long, said he didn't want to return Sophie to her mother's family in early July after the girl accused her mum's fiancee of sexual abuse.
He will be extradited to the US to face a felony charge of interference with child custody, according to the Dallas Morning News.
Sophie's mother Kelly Long denied all the allegations saying her ex-husband's "personal vendetta ... has now escalated to dangerous levels".
Court documents said Sophie communicated to her father in code and used special words to let him know about the alleged abuse at her home.
The notes are part of a cache of court documents that allege Sophie said she'd been touched by her mother's fiancé.
Michael and Sophie referred to her mum's fiancé as "Mr Jake".
10-year-old Sophie Long has been found in a foreign country, authorities say. Photo / Facebook
Sophie detailed the code words in a key alongside one of her letters.
She used "daisies" or "dandelions" for danger, and "pens" to mean there was fighting at home, The Daily Mail reported.
In one exchange, Sophie said he had taken away her iPad for a week because "I wouldn't stop crying".
Another spoke of her mother's anger over the dad recording a conversation between them and says "Mr Jake" had told the children their father was brainwashing them.
A viral video appeared to show Sophie detailing screaming and telling her grandmother that she does not want to leave the car and go to the home because she feels uncomfortable.
Court documents have noted that both parents have a history of calling Child Protective Services to make complaints about the other.
The girl's father, Michael Long, has been placed into police custody. Photo / Texas Department of Public Safety
SEXUAL HARM
Sexual harm - Where to get help If it's an emergency and you feel that you or someone else is at risk, call 111. If you've ever experienced sexual assault or abuse and need to talk to someone, contact Safe to Talk confidentially, any time 24/7: • Call 0800 044 334 • Text 4334 • Email support@safetotalk.nz • For more info or to web chat visit safetotalk.nz Alternatively contact your local police station - click here for a list. If you have been sexually assaulted, remember it's not your fault.
