Girl held in man's home – until she managed to call for help through a game

Court documents reveal: A 17-year-old girl from Utah was found in the home of a 39-year-old man in Oregon after 17 months. She made contact through the game "Among Us" and told him about her situation. The suspect forced her to remove her braces using pliers to make identification harder.

Federal court documents reveal details about the disappearance of a 17-year-old girl from Utah, who had been missing since May 2025 and was found on Sunday, November 1, at the home of Adam Hunter Harmel, 39, in Oregon. The girl was held against her will, cut off from communication, and forced to remove her braces using pliers to make identification harder. The breakthrough came after she made contact with a young man from Colorado through the computer game "Among Us" and told him about her situation. The information was passed to authorities and led to an FBI rescue operation. According to an affidavit by FBI Special Agent Andrea Elder, Harmel offered the girl money to come to Oregon, took her phone, prevented her from leaving, and kept a knife under his pillow. During the search of his home, knives, women's clothing, and air rifles were found. Harmel was arrested and charged with a federal offense of transporting a minor across state lines with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.