A Utah teen who vanished at 15 started talking to another kid on Among Us after 500 days missing, then that kid’s mother called the FBI

Kylie Arellano, a teenager missing for over 500 days, was finally rescued after she used the game Among Us to tell another player she was being held against her will. The 17-year-old had vanished from her home in Utah back in May 2025. She was found in the basement of a home in Huntington, Oregon, which belonged to 39-year-old Adam Hunter Harmel.

As reported by Dexerto, federal prosecutors allege that Harmel met the teenager online, drove to Utah to pick her up, and then threw her phone into a river before taking her across state lines. Once they arrived at his home, Harmel allegedly kept her from leaving. He also forced her to remove her braces with pliers to make her harder to identify. Despite the situation, Harmel eventually gave her a phone that had no cellular service but could still connect to Wi-Fi.

This limited access to the internet ended up being the key to her rescue. In mid-October, she started talking to another child through Among Us. Their conversations eventually moved to another social media platform, where she revealed her identity and explained that she was being held captive. 

He reportedly kept a knife under his pillow to prevent her from escaping

She also reportedly believed police had stopped searching for her. The other player’s mother reached out to the FBI, who then arranged to monitor a video call with her on November 1. During that call, she showed investigators a knife that Harmel allegedly kept under his pillow to stop her from escaping.

Authorities rescued the teenager from the Oregon property that same day and took her for medical treatment. Harmel was arrested during a traffic stop. The Department of Justice confirmed he had been charged with transporting a minor across state lines with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.

Attorney General Todd Blanche spoke on the matter, stating, “Anyone engaged in the sexual exploitation of a minor will be held accountable.” He added, “Today’s arrest is the first step toward bringing the accused to justice and relieving the pain endured by the victim and her family. This Department of Justice will never stop investigating and prosecuting individuals engaged in vicious predatory behavior.”

FBI Director Kash Patel also provided details on the investigation. He noted, “According to the criminal complaint the minor was groomed on gaming platforms and engaged in acts of self-harm and sexually explicit activity. To anyone targeting and exploiting children: this FBI and our partners are coming for you.”

Harmel had his initial appearance on the complaint on November 4 at the U.S. District Courthouse in Boise, Idaho. Court documents indicate that the investigation involved the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office and the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force. 

U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak for the District of Utah said, “Our priority in this case was the safe return of the minor victim.” She further noted, “Those who allegedly exploit and prey upon the most vulnerable members of our communities will be relentlessly investigated and held accountable.”