Teen Girl Held Captive for Over 500 Days Used Among Us to Send Desperate Message That Led to Her Rescue

A 17-year-old girl who had been missing for more than 500 days has been rescued from an Oregon home after using the popular online game Among Us to contact another teenager and seek help.

Kylie Arellano disappeared from Garden City, Utah, on 29 May 2025, when she was 15. Authorities found her on 1 November 2026 at the home of 39-year-old Adam Hunter Harmel in Huntington, Oregon.

According to the Associated Press (AP), the teenager told investigators that Harmel had held her against her will, physically assaulted her and sexually abused her during her captivity. Her rescue followed an online conversation that eventually led investigators to her location.

How the Teenager Disappeared

According to The Economic Times, citing federal court documents and reporting by Newsweek and Fox News, Arellano met Harmel through social media in May 2025.

Harmel allegedly claimed to have a disability affecting his hips and offered her money to travel to Oregon. According to the federal criminal complaint, he subsequently drove to Perry, Utah, where he picked her up on 29 May.

The AP reported that Harmel allegedly threw her mobile phone into a river in Logan Canyon before driving her across state lines to his home in Huntington. He then allegedly told her she was not allowed to leave.

Her family reported her missing, prompting a search that continued for more than 500 days. The FBI received information about her disappearance on 20 August 2025.

Teenager Allegedly Endured Physical and Sexual Abuse

According to the federal complaint, as detailed by Fox News and other outlets, Arellano was confined to the basement of Harmel's home and forced to share a bed with him.

The FBI affidavit alleged that Harmel kept a knife beneath his pillow and made the teenager sleep against the wall to prevent her from escaping.

The AP reported that Arellano told investigators Harmel repeatedly hit and sexually assaulted her. She also alleged that he forced her to remove her braces using pliers so she could not be identified.

Court documents further allege that Harmel expressed an interest in underage girls and told Arellano he wanted to start a family with her.

How Among Us Helped Save Her

Despite allegedly restricting her freedom, Harmel eventually gave Arellano a mobile phone without mobile data access but with a Wi-Fi connection.

According to The Economic Times and Fox News, she began communicating with another minor while playing Among Us around mid-October 2026.

Their conversation later moved to another social media platform, where Arellano disclosed her identity and explained that she was being held against her will. She also reportedly believed police had stopped searching for her.

The other teenager's parent subsequently arranged a video call with Arellano on 1 November, during which FBI investigators listened to the conversation, according to the AP.

During the call, Arellano described her alleged captivity and showed investigators the knife Harmel reportedly kept beneath his pillow.

FBI Rescues Missing Girl and Arrests Suspect

Following the video call, FBI agents and Oregon State Police located Arellano at Harmel's residence on 1 November and arranged medical treatment after rescuing her.

Fox News reported that investigators recovered knives, BB guns and sexual lubricant during a search of the property. These items were reportedly collected as part of the investigation and should not be treated as proof of the allegations.

Harmel was arrested during a traffic stop in Ontario, Oregon, about 30 miles from his home.

The US Department of Justice (DOJ) confirmed on 4 November 2026 that Harmel had been charged in a federal criminal complaint with transporting a minor across state lines with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.

According to the DOJ, the complaint was filed on 2 November, and Harmel made his initial court appearance on 4 November at the US District Courthouse in Boise, Idaho.