Authorities rescued a Utah teenager from an Oregon man's home on November 1, 2026, after she managed to contact help from another child within the game Among Us. The 17-year-old had allegedly been held captive for over 500 days by Adam Harmel, 39, who had taken her across state lines and prevented her from leaving.
The teenager was reported missing in May 2025, at which point she was 15 years old. According to Newsweek, Harmel had allegedly begun contacting her via Snapchat earlier that month and offered to pay for her travel to his home in Oregon. He reportedly picked her up and drove her hours away, disposing of her phone shortly after by throwing it into a river.
Investigators stated that Harmel forced the teenager to sleep in a bed with him in his basement and became increasingly violent over the 521 days she was held captive. Her opportunity to escape arose when Harmel granted her access to a phone that did not have cellular data.
While unable to contact others through traditional means, the device allowed her to connect to WiFi and play online games. Among Us, which features in-game communication, enabled her to reach out to another child. After transitioning the conversation to a different, undisclosed social media application, she revealed her identity and stated that she was being held captive at Harmel's home in Oregon.
She expressed concern that authorities had ceased searching for her after more than 500 days. The other child then informed their mother, who subsequently contacted the FBI. A video call with the missing teenager allowed investigators to confirm her circumstances.
She was rescued from Harmel's property later that day. Harmel has since been arrested and charged with transporting the teenager across state lines with the intent to exploit her.