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Court documents reveal that an accused teen kidnapper had allegedly planned to take a 14-year-old Patchogue girl on his boat to the Carolinas.
In an exclusive interview earlier this month about the missing 14-year-old, Gabby Petito’s' parents were already warning that missing children can be anywhere.
"She could be somewhere else in this country and that is why it is important to share her face all over this country," Petito's mother, Nicole Schmidt said.
The disappearance and death of the Blue Point native drew national headlines in 2021. Since then, her family has been advocating for missing children and possible victims of domestic abuse.
According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, there are over 350,000 reported missing children in the United States every year.
The 14-year-old victim was found on Francis Buckheit’s 56-foot boat and subjected to continuous abuse, according to prosecutors.
Buckheit pleaded not guilty to the charges he is facing.
