A 17-year-old girl who went missing from Utah in May 2025 has been rescued from a home in Oregon after she reached out for help through a player she met in Among Us. The FBI recovered her on November 1, 2026, and an Oregon man, Adam Hunter Harmel, 39, has been charged in federal court.
According to the charges, Harmel transported the girl, who was 15 when she disappeared, across state lines with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. She was held at his home in Huntington, Oregon, for around 18 months. Harmel has been charged, not convicted, and the allegations have not been proven in court.
How a game of Among Us led to the rescue
According to reports, the girl had been given a phone with no mobile service that could still connect to Wi-Fi. In mid-October, she began talking to another young player through Among Us. Their conversation later moved to a different social media app, where she told them who she was and that she was being held against her will. Reports say she believed police had stopped looking for her.
The other player’s mother contacted the FBI. On November 1, investigators monitored a video call in which the girl described what was happening and confirmed where she was, according to KSL. She was recovered from the property the same day and taken for medical care. Harmel was arrested during a traffic stop.
The investigation and the charge
The case was investigated by FBI Salt Lake City and the Rich County Sheriff’s Office, which had been working on it for more than a year. According to a Department of Justice statement, Harmel has been charged with transporting a minor across state lines with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. He made his first appearance in federal court on November 4.
“We are grateful she can return home, and we will continue working with our partners to hold those responsible accountable,” FBI Director Kash Patel said, as reported by KSL.
Investigators allege that the girl was first groomed through gaming platforms before contact moved to other social media apps. Innersloth, the developer of Among Us, has not commented publicly on the case.
Why the other player’s choice mattered
This rescue happened because one young player believed what they heard and told a parent, and that parent went straight to the FBI. It is a reminder that online games are social spaces, for better and for worse. Players can be targeted there, and they can also be the ones who notice something is wrong.
If you see something in a game or chat that makes you think a child is in danger, report it. In the US, you can contact the FBI at tips.fbi.gov or the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children’s CyberTipline. In other countries, contact your local police. Most games, including Among Us, also have in-game reporting tools.
What happens next
The case will now move through the federal court system. TalkEsport will not be publishing her name, and we ask readers not to share it.
