2 missing girls located at Langfield Drive apartment, found in good health

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — Buffalo Police and New York State have located two missing girls after they were reported missing on Monday night.

A 12-year-old and a 7-year-old were found at an apartment on Langfield Drive. They had last been seen traveling eastbound on foot from Main Street and Utica Street between 6:30 and 6:45 p.m.

The girls were found to be in good health. Two people were brought in to speak to detectives about the incident, but were cleared of any wrongdoing. Police said they were “good Samaritans” who took the children in from the cold and contacted authorities.

In a press conference on Tuesday morning, police said that the girls were living at Child & Family Services on Delaware Avenue. A 911 call from the facility came in from the facility around 7:15 p.m. Monday. Surveillance video captured the girls walking eastbound from Main Street and Utica Street earlier in the evening, with one of the girls carrying a backpack.

Child and Family Services said in a statement Tuesday that they will “review the incident to determine how the children were able to leave and will make appropriate changes to prevent a similar incidence in the future.”

One of the girls has “exhibited runaway behavior” in the past, BPD Chief of Detectives Craig Macy said, but they do not believe it was planned. The girls are not believed to have a relationship prior to their placement at the facility.

An Amber Alert was not issued, because local police did not have information that they are with an unknown third party. An Amber Alert would have to come from state police.

“You’re talking about a 7-year-old and a 12-year-old,” Acting Mayor Chris Scanlon said. “I think we can all draw a conclusion on what the concerns are.”

Tuesday’s frigid temperatures increased the urgency on locating the girls.

“You’re talking about a 7-year-old and a 12-year-old unsupervised roaming the streets of Buffalo in January when we’ve had a cold front that’s moved in this week,” Scanlon said. “It’s dangerous for adults to be out there too long, let alone a 7-year-old and a 12-year-old.”

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