Family Joy as Missing Girl Returns

Wednesday, July 16, 2003

(1:39 PM ET) (17:39 GMT)

The Cable News Network

A law enforcement source in Britain said authorities could prove Studabaker knew she was 12 but did not say how. That information enabled authorities to get an international arrest warrant, the source said. Studabaker had told his brother that he believed the girl, Shevaun Pennington, was 19, the brother told CNN earlier.

LEIGH, England -- CNN
The parents of a 12-year-old British girl missing for four days with a former U.S. Marine she met on the Internet have spoken of their relief at their daughter's safe return.

Shevaun Pennington flew back to the UK on Wednesday afternoon from Germany where she had traveled with Toby Studabaker, 31, who was arrested earlier in Frankfurt by police on suspicion of child abduction.

The girl's mother Joanna Pennington said she and her husband Stephen had a tearful reunion with Shevaun at Leigh police station near Wigan in northern England.

"I cannot tell you how relieved I am. It is such a turnaround from the situation days ago, which seems years ago. It is absolutely fantastic," she said.

Her husband said he was so glad his daughter was all right and already back with the family.
(More: CNN.com)
2003 © Cable News Network LP, LLLP.

The case had increased concern in Britain about so-called "grooming" by adults who contact children via the Internet.

”Grooming”?

Interesting. I was not aware that this was concerning a “children’s” chat room. Sounded more like two people carrying on conversations for more than a year, a meeting of the two, and the truth of age being found out. So – the man sends the girl packing back to her folks, while he in turn is promptly arrested.

Well, Interpol claims to have more information on the matter. We’ll see.

Dan