Missing 12-year-old girl found, police say

She was recovered at the same address where she’d been seen two days earlier

A 12-year-old girl was found late Thursday, two days after she went missing from the Sharpstown area.

Jennifer Castillo had last been seen 7 p.m. Tuesday making a phone call outside of a family member’s apartment in the 6600 block of Harbor Town Drive.

Houston police had previously said a “credible threat” had been made against her, and that she was believed to have been held against her will. Police said Thursday night that she was located by herself at the same address where she’d been seen two days earlier.

HPD said on Twitter that officers were responding to a report of an injured person. She was taken to an area hospital in stable condition, and HPD said updates would be provided Friday.

Castillo’s cellphone call records indicated she might be in the Houston region, police said before she was located. Her phone had since been turned off.

Police had initially said it was also possible that Castillo was in Honduras, where her mother lives.

After she was taken, Castillo’s family received a threat to her life, police said. Police would not confirm how messages were made or divulge the nature of the threat, so as not to jeopardize the investigation.

Castillo’s voice could be heard in the background, and she sounded fearful of her captor or captors, police said.

Castillo’s family reported her missing around noon Wednesday, and authorities issued an Amber Alert at 4 a.m. Thursday, homicide Detective A. Vinogradov said.

Some relatives told police they were in fear for their safety as well, homicide Detective D. Crowder said earlier Thursday. Homicide detectives were leading the search for Castillo because of the “seriousness of the investigation,” Vinogradov said.

Police had said they did not believe smuggling or gang activity is involved.