After An 8-Day Search, Incredible New Developments in the Case of Missing Black Houston Tween

Updated: 3/4/24, 2:15pm ET

We have good news to report in the case of a missing Houston tween we told you about last week. In a March 1 post on X, Houston Police reported that 12-year-old E’minie Hughes was found unharmed 73 miles from Houston in the town of Columbus, TX.

And now a suspect has been arrested and charged in her disappearance.

According to the Columbus Texas Police Department Facebook account, 27-year-old Sirterryon Preston of Houston was charged with Evading and taking to the Colorado County Detention Facility after trying to escape police custody. He could face additional charges pending an FBI investigation.

E’minie Hughes was brought back to Houston and taken to Texas Children’s Hospital for evaluation, according to police.

E’minie Hughes was last seen on February 22, when a neighbor’s security camera captured video of her getting into the back seat a dark-colored Dodge pickup truck that pulled up in front of her house around 1:40 am. She was wearing a white crop top and pink joggers at the time. According to Houston’s NBC affiliate KPRC2, E’minie left home that night with only the clothes she was wearing and an Android tablet.

An Amber Alert was issued on February 28 describing Hughes as a Black girl who is 4 feet, 6 inches tall with black hair and brown eyes. She weighs approximately 100 pounds.

Houston Police, who believe Hughes may have been active on the 17 and older dating app Tagged before her disappearance, have reason to believe she may have been the victim of human trafficking according to a February 28 post on X.

As the days go by, E’minie’s family was growing increasingly worried about her whereabouts. But they held on to hope that the sixth grader will be returned home safely.

“She’s 12. A baby who don’t understand the world and cannot take care of herself out in this crazy world,” E’minie’s mother, Shannon Williams, told KPRC2.

“We need her home,” E’minie’s grandmother, Joyce Williams, told the Houston ABC affiliate. “I’m telling you from my heart, please send her home.”