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Florida

Florida teen who reportedly ran off with soccer coach found safe in New York, police say

By Elizabeth Zwirz , Fox News
Published | Updated
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Police: Missing Florida teen found safe in New York Video

Police: Missing Florida teen found safe in New York

Authorities say the girl was found in high school soccer coach's car.

The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office confirmed on Twitter Friday that the missing teenager who reportedly left Florida with a high school soccer coach has been found safe in New York.

Caitlyn Frisina, 17, was discovered in Syracuse with Rian Rodriguez, 27, ABC 7 NY said. The sheriff’s office told the outlet that a deputy pulled over a car and found the pair inside.

Authorities reportedly alerted the girl’s family and took the man into custody.

The search for the teen has been ongoing since Saturday where she was last seen at her parent’s house before linking up with Rodriguez – the head coach of the boys’ soccer team at Fort White High School, which Frisina attends.

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Deputies said the girl’s bedroom window was left open and her footprints were found leading off the property. Her phone was also wiped clean of all data. Frisina’s parents notified police after realizing she was gone.

As of Thursday, police believed the pair was headed to the Northeast after they were seen at gas stations in Georgia and South Carolina. The were last spotted on Sunday at a pawn shop in Fayetteville, N.C.

After conducting interviews, investigators found reason to believe that there was the “blossoming of a potential relationship,” between Frisina and Rodriguez, Murray Smith, the public relations officer for the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, stated.

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Frisina's father said there were no indications that his daughter would suddenly leave with Rodriguez, who was a family friend.

"Caitlyn has a current boyfriend who also is beside himself because everything was fine,” Smith said.

The Columbia County School District had said in a statement that it was working in tandem with the sheriff’s office and that Rodriguez had been suspended pending the ongoing investigation.