GLENDALE, Ariz. — Editor's note: The video above is the most recent update on this incident.
Valley parents recently discovered their 15-year-old daughter was missing and in Iowa with a man that works at her school.
The girl never made it to her last day of school at Cactus High School in Glendale last Thursday.
“Go into her room with an empty bed, the window open,” said her mother Kayla Eversole.
Her parents called Glendale police, but she had not been missing long enough for officers to file a missing child report.
So, her family took matters into their own hands and posted flyers and videos on social media and asked people for information on Lilly’s whereabouts.
By the next day, the girl's parents got the heart-stopping phone call from police in Iowa who said they got a tip that led them to her.
“They said we have your 15-year-old daughter here with a 21-year-old male,” said Justin Eversole, the girl's father.
The Peoria School District confirms that the man is a custodian at Cactus High School.
“She snuck out one night and told her he was moving to Iowa. She said 'can I come with you?' He said yes,” said Justin.
Her parents drove to Iowa. But before they got there, police released her.
Social media stepped in again and asked Chris Gomex the “pedophile bounty hunter” to track down the 15-year-old.
“I decided to jump in my truck and go find her,” Gomex said.
He found her and reunited her with her parents who credit Gomex and social media for tracking her down.
“Social media saved our daughter. It’s the only reason it got out there,” said Kayla.
Lilly is now back in the Valley. Glendale police say they’re still investigating so they have not arrested the man accused of taking her. That’s why we’re not releasing his name.
However, the Peoria school district says he is on administrative leave, and the school board will vote on his firing Thursday.
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