A 17-year-old Utah girl who disappeared at the age of 15 has been rescued after more than 500 days in captivity, following a desperate attempt to seek help through the popular online game Among Us.
Kylie Arellano, who vanished from her home in Garden City, Utah, on May 29, 2025, managed to reveal her identity and location to another child she encountered while playing the game.
The contact eventually alerted federal authorities, leading to her rescue from a property in Huntington, Oregon, on November 1.
Her disappearance had triggered an extensive investigation involving multiple law enforcement agencies, with the search extending across the United States and into other countries.
Online Gaming Conversation Led Investigators to Missing Teen
According to federal court documents, Arellano connected with another child through Among Us last month and disclosed that she was being held at a man’s home in Oregon.
She reportedly told the online acquaintance that she believed police had stopped searching for her and shared news articles about her disappearance to establish her identity.
The other child’s mother subsequently contacted the FBI after learning about the teenager’s situation.
Federal investigators arranged to monitor a video call with Arellano on November 1.
During the conversation, she identified her location and described the circumstances surrounding her captivity.
She also showed investigators a knife that the man allegedly kept beside his bed, alongside other evidence supporting her account.
Oregon State Police and federal agents subsequently went to the property and rescued her.
She was then taken for medical treatment.
How the Teenager Allegedly Ended Up in Oregon
Federal authorities say Arellano had initially been groomed through online gaming platforms before her conversations with people online moved to other social media applications.
According to information provided by her parent, the teenager had been sending sexually explicit images and videos to people online in exchange for money.
In May 2025, she reportedly came into contact with 39-year-old Adam Hunter Harmel, who allegedly told her he was disabled and had problems with his hips.
According to the federal criminal complaint filed in the US District Court of Utah, Harmel offered Arellano money to travel to Oregon.
He allegedly drove from Oregon to Utah to collect her before taking her to his home.
Once there, he reportedly threw her phone into a river and forced her to remain inside the property.
Allegations of Violence During 18 Months in Captivity
Investigators allege that Arellano spent nearly a year and a half living under Harmel’s control.
The teenager reportedly slept in the basement in the same bed as Harmel and was made to sleep beside a wall.
According to the complaint, Harmel became increasingly violent during the period, repeatedly hitting her and preventing her from leaving the property.
He allegedly kept a knife underneath his pillow to stop her from escaping during the night.
Investigators also allege that he forced Arellano to remove her braces using pliers to make it more difficult for her to be identified.
The teenager told authorities that Harmel had spoken about starting a family together and indicated that he had a sexual preference for minors.
Despite the restrictions placed on her, Arellano eventually gained access to a cellphone without cellular data.
Although she could only connect to the internet through Wi-Fi, the device allowed her to play Among Us and ultimately contact someone who could help.
Housemate and Police Discover Supporting Evidence
Following Arellano’s rescue, investigators interviewed Harmel’s housemate, who said the 39-year-old had introduced the teenager as his new girlfriend.
The housemate reportedly recalled that Harmel had told him he was travelling to Utah to collect his girlfriend.
However, he did not see Arellano until approximately two months after she arrived.
Authorities also searched the property and recovered items they said supported aspects of the teenager’s allegations, including sexual lubricant.
Harmel was subsequently arrested during a traffic stop in Ontario, Oregon, and booked into Malheur County Jail, according to KGW.
He faces a federal charge of travelling across state lines with the intention of engaging in criminal sexual activity.
If convicted, the offence carries a mandatory minimum prison sentence of 10 years.
Harmel appeared in court in Boise, Idaho, on November 4 but did not enter a plea.
He is scheduled to return to court for a detention hearing on Tuesday.
It remains unclear when he will be extradited to Utah.
Man Previously Accused of Abusing Six-Year-Old Girl
Further details have emerged about allegations involving Harmel before Arellano’s disappearance.
Eric Solari told NBC News that his young daughter had attended a sleepover at Harmel’s neighbouring home in 2024, where she was spending time with his daughter.
When the child returned home, she reportedly told her parents that something was wrong but could not initially explain what had happened.
“There was a secret, but she couldn’t remember what it was,” Solari said.
A few months later, around late October or early November 2024, the girl reportedly disclosed to her parents that she had been sexually abused during the sleepover.
Solari and his wife immediately contacted the Baker County Sheriff’s Office in Oregon, which subsequently interviewed their daughter.
The allegations were presented to a grand jury, which declined to indict Harmel.
However, the case remained open for the possibility of further evidence, according to Baker County District Attorney Greg Baxter.
Solari said Harmel became increasingly hostile towards neighbours after the family reported the allegations.
He described incidents in which Harmel allegedly shouted insults at neighbours and made offensive gestures towards them.
Family Obtained Protective Orders Against Harmel
Solari’s family eventually sought protective orders against Harmel and his then-wife.
Both orders were granted in March 2025 and were due to remain in effect until Solari’s daughter turned 18.
However, Solari said Harmel moved into a relative’s property across the street from his daughter’s school approximately two months after the protective orders were granted.
Court records obtained by NBC News also show that Harmel’s wife filed for divorce in Idaho in May 2025.
The divorce was finalised in January.
When the new school year began in August, Solari alleged that Harmel violated the protective order by passing the school while his daughter was present.
“Our daughter would be at school. We knew Adam was passing by the school while she was there, which violated the protection order,” he said.
He claimed that the school and his family contacted authorities about the situation but that no effective action was taken.
Solari believes that further investigation into the earlier allegations and reports could have prevented Arellano’s abduction or led to her discovery sooner.
“If they would have went and followed through on these calls, she would have been found,” he said.
“Or if they would have followed through on my daughter’s case, she never would have been abducted.”
The family eventually decided to leave the area, with Solari saying his daughter finally felt safe after they moved.
Neighbours React to Arrest as Family Demands Justice
Solari said he and his wife were devastated and shocked when they learned that Harmel had been arrested in connection with Arellano’s disappearance.
He described Huntington as a small community where residents know one another and said the allegations had deeply unsettled local families.
According to Solari, people in the community were concerned about the safety of their children and did not want Harmel around them.
He also called for prosecutors to pursue charges relating to the allegations involving his daughter.
“It sucks that we had to get the justice through somebody else getting injured and God, I wish that would have never happened. But as long as he’s off the streets, that’s my biggest thing,” he said.
Solari added that he and his wife wanted Harmel to face life imprisonment and called for greater protection for children.
“We want to see justice for our children – and when I say our children, I mean all children.
We need to stop protecting the predators and start protecting the children,” he said.
District Attorney Says Earlier Abuse Investigation Remains Open
Baker County District Attorney Greg Baxter confirmed to NBC News that his office was actively investigating the allegations involving Solari’s daughter.
He said prosecutors had obtained a warrant the previous week and were examining whether information emerging from the federal case could provide additional evidence for their investigation.
Baxter described the federal charges against Harmel as an important development that could help bring further information to light.
“This is kind of like the earthquake that is bringing some more stuff, so to speak,” he said.
The district attorney added that he had been communicating with federal prosecutors and the FBI to determine whether evidence gathered during their investigation could be used in the Oregon case.
Arellano’s rescue on November 1 brought an end to more than 500 days of captivity, after her attempt to seek help through an online game finally brought investigators to the property where she was being held.
