Two major business founders have spoken out after their 16-year-old child, Mint Butterworth, was found in a van days after they went missing.
Slack co-founder Stewart Butterfield and Flickr co-founder Caterina Fake first reported Mint missing on 22 April, after the mom discovered a note indicating they'd left their home in California.
The teenager, who uses they/them pronouns, had been last seen at approximately 10pm on 21 April and was described as a 'voluntary missing person'.
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It wasn't until almost a week later that Mint was found alive by the Marin County Sheriff's Office and the San Francisco Police Department, when they were found in San Francisco.
Officials learned during the investigation that Mint could be with an acquaintance of their's, a 26-year-old male named Christopher "Kio" Dizefalo. Mint was found uninjured inside a white van associated with Dizefalo.
After they were found safe, Butterfield and Fake, along with Mint's stepdad, fellow tech founder Jyri Engestrom, released a statement thanking police for their efforts and condemning Dizefalo's actions.
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"A heartfelt thanks to all the family, friends, volunteers and strangers who called in tips and made this recovery possible,” they wrote.
"We especially want to thank the seasoned law enforcement officers who understand the very real threat of predators who use the allure of drugs to groom teenagers."
Following their initial disappearance, the Marin County Sheriff's Office said in a statement Mint had taken a suitcase with them when they left 'at an unknown time during the night or early morning'.
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They did not have access to a vehicle or phone when they left the area, but detectives confirmed they had run away from their home voluntarily, according to an updated press release from the Marin County Sheriff's Office.
Dizefalo has since been interviewed by detectives, after which he was arrested for 'multiple crime violations' and booked in the Marin County Jail with his bail set at $50,000.
Meanwhile, Mint has been returned to the custody of their family.
"The Marin County Sheriff’s Office is thankful for the assistance of the San Francisco Police Department, the Oakland Police Department and the FBI for their continuous efforts in helping us locate Mint," the Sheriff's Office said.
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"We would like to also thank the other governmental and non-governmental agencies who reached out and offered additional resources. Additionally, we appreciate the help from the public in trying to locate Mint and providing tips that ultimately led to their safe return."
If you want to speak to someone in confidence regarding the welfare of a child, the Childhelp USA National Child Abuse Hotline (1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453) operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and receives calls from throughout the United States, Canada, US Virgin Islands, Guam and Puerto Rico.
Emily Brown