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Child, 16, of billionaire tech CEO found in the back of van one week after going missing

Home> News> US News

Updated 14:20 29 Apr 2024 GMT+1Published 14:21 29 Apr 2024 GMT+1

Child, 16, of billionaire tech CEO found in the back of van one week after going missing

A man found in a van with Mint Butterfield has been charged with child abduction

Niamh Shackleton

Niamh Shackleton

Stewart Butterfield's missing child has been reunited with their family.

Mint Butterfield, 16, was reported missing by their mother, Flickr co-founder Caterina Fake, on Monday (April 22) after going missing from Fake's California home a day prior.

There were reports that the teenager - who uses they/them pronouns - was in the notoriously dangerous Tenderloin area in San Francisco, sparking police to issue a missing child report.

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Mint Butterfield was reported missing on April 22. (Marin County Sheriff's Office)
Mint Butterfield was reported missing on April 22. (Marin County Sheriff's Office)

Several days after they were reported missing, San Francisco Police have confirmed that the 16-year-old has been found and reunited with their family.

Police tweeted on Sunday (April 28): "Mint Butterfield has been safely located and reunited with family. Thank you to those who spread the message and assisted with the search."

A 26-year-old man has since been charged with abducting Mint.

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The teen is the only child of Slack co-founder Stewart Butterfield. Butterfield also co-founded Flickr with Fake in 2004.

The couple wed in 2001, but divorced six years later - the same year that Mint was born.

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Mint was found in Tenderloin around 11.30pm on Saturday in a white van alongside Christopher "Kio" Dizefalo, The San Francisco Standard reports.

They were unharmed when discovered by law enforcement, and is now said to have run away from their home 'voluntarily'.

Dizefalo has been described as an 'adult friend' by Marin County Sheriff's Office, and is suspected to have lured Mint from their mom's home 30 miles away.

Caterina Fake co-founded Flickr. (Andrew Toth/Getty Images for Vanity Fair)
Caterina Fake co-founded Flickr. (Andrew Toth/Getty Images for Vanity Fair)

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Dizefalo is currently behind bars in Marin County on suspicion of multiple felonies, including child abduction, as well as a misdemeanor charge of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. His bail's set at $50,000.

Fake and Butterfield has since issued their thanks to all those who helped find Mint.

"A heartfelt thanks to all the family, friends, volunteers and strangers who called in tips and made this recovery possible," part of their email statement to the press reads.

Mint is Stewart Butterfield's eldest child. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
Mint is Stewart Butterfield's eldest child. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

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"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."

Elsewhere, Marin County Sheriff’s Office thanked SFPD, the Oakland Police Department and the FBI for their cooperation in locating the 'at risk' teen.

"We would like to also thank the other governmental and non-governmental agencies who reached out and offered additional resources," the statement went on.

"Additionally, we appreciate the help from the public in trying to locate Mint and providing tips that ultimately led to their safe return."

Featured Image Credit: Marin County Sheriff's Office, Drew Angerer/Getty Images

Topics: Police, US News, News, Crime

Niamh Shackleton
Niamh Shackleton

Niamh Shackleton is an experienced journalist for UNILAD, specialising in topics including mental health and showbiz, as well as anything Henry Cavill and cat related. She has previously worked for OK! Magazine, Caters and Kennedy.

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@niamhshackleton

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