An 18-year-old man was arrested in Germany in connection to the death of a 14-year-old girl in Fort Wayne, multiple agencies announced Friday.
According to the FBI Indianapolis office, work by their investigators and the Fort Wayne Police Department helped the bureau arrest the man in Germany. The FBI said the man is a German citizen and is in German custody.
The FBI said the man was arrested on suspicion of murder in connection to a 14-year-old girl who died earlier this month. Authorities have not released the girl’s name because of her age. The FBI has also not released the suspect’s name.
The Fort Wayne Police Department said officers responded to to the scene where the girl was found and worked with the FBI on the investigation before identifying the suspect as a man living in Germany. Both agencies then collaborated with German law enforcement authorities to find the suspect.
Special Agent In Charge Timothy J. O’Malley of FBI Indianapolis said investigations into those who harm children know no borders.
“Anyone who targets or exploits a child should understand this: there is no safe haven from justice,” he said in a statement Friday. “It doesn’t matter where you live or where you try to hide. The FBI will work with our partners around the world to find you and hold you accountable. When children are victimized, we will pursue every lead and use every available resource. Wherever you go, justice will find you.”
According an article from the German news outlet NDR, investigators believe the man manipulated the girl into committing suicide. They said he was 17 at the time of the crime. The local prosecutor’s office in Germany said it believes the man demanded the girl take video of her self-harm and suicide and tried to get the footage after the girl’s death.
In Friday’s announcement, the FBI urged parents and caregivers to take online threats to children’s safety seriously and report suspected criminal activity. The office provided a link about where to report information about potential federal crimes.
