Police officers found a missing 14-year-old in the apartment of a sex offender in the Hochsauerland district who was considered to be at risk of relapse. After the mother reported missing persons in Bochum on Thursday, investigations led to the 36-year-old. He is said to have communicated with the girl regularly in Internet chats.
The 14-year-old, who was found unharmed in the man's apartment on Friday morning, was handed over to a youth facility and picked up there by her parents. According to initial investigations, no criminal offenses should have occurred.
A judge issued an arrest warrant against the 36-year-old, as the police and prosecutors announced on Monday. There is a strong suspicion that the man sent the girl pornographic pictures.
The police also found drug paraphernalia in the man's apartment and a drug test was ordered. According to media reports, the 36-year-old is a participant in a program in North Rhine-Westphalia that looks after sexual offenders at risk of relapse. Among other things, this is to prevent them from diving into anonymity after their release and committing new crimes.
Icon: The mirrorala / dpa
