Alyssa Frank found safe

Yesterday, I wrote a post about abducted Florida teen Alyssa Frank, who an Amber Alert was issued for.

It is my great pleasure to announce that Alyssa has been found SAFE after the abductor dropped her off at an Alabama Wal-Mart.

A Florida teenager lured into custody by a convicted sex offender with a violent history is alive and safe today after he dropped her off at a Wal-Mart store near the Alabama state line more than 400 miles from home.

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd announced the discovery of 15-year-old Alyssa Frank at an afternoon news conference today after appealing to the public for help earlier in the day. Judd said that Frank now was with Florida authorities.

Judd said that Mitchell brought the girl to a Wal-Mart location and told her to meet him five minutes later. He then disappeared. "He looked for an area to dump her. And for that, we're grateful," Judd said. "Quite frankly, we're thankful he didn't kill her."

Florida authorities will continue to hunt for Mitchell, who they believe is driving a 2000 black Chevrolet Lumina and has several tattoos on his arms and fingers. Mitchell was charged in 2002 with lewd and lascivious battery on a victim 12-15 years old. He has at least 14 arrests on his criminal record and has been charged in the past in connection with robbery, weapons smuggling and making bomb threats. Judd said they believe Mitchell is carrying a handgun.

"We are relieved because she is alive and because she is well," Judd said, "but other children are not safe as long as our suspect is at large. That's why we still ask for the communitry to help us."

Let's continue to keep our eyes peeled -- this man could be anywhere, and as Judd says, there's no telling what more he could do. Someone else's child could be the next one taken, and the next one might not come home.

Let's bring this criminal to justice.