Detectives located 12-year-old Kayla Sparano of Collingswood and 21-year-old Liam Heim of Gulfport, Florida in Philadelphia Friday night.
By Matt Skoufalos | March 30, 2018
Collingswood Police Embem. Credit: Matt Skoufalos.
UPDATE: March 30, 11:29 p.m. – Kayla Sparano and Liam Heim were located in Philadelphia Friday night.
Detectives from the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office (CCPO) and Collingswood Police Department tracked the pair to the city, according to Collingswood Police Chief Kevin Carey.
Carey credited a multi-agency effort in locating the 12-year-old Sparano, and said the investigation into the incident remains ongoing.
Heim, 21, of Gulfport, Florida, is being held in Pennsylvania while detectives interview Sparano.
“It was a wonderful collaboration among the CCPO Special Victims Unit, Philadelphia Airport Police, Philadelphia Police Department, and Collingswood Police Department that helped locate Kayla and get her home safe,” Carey said.
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Police are looking for a 12-year-old Collingswood girl they say left town in the company of a 21-year-old Florida man Thursday after school.
Kayla Sparano was last seen at the Collingswood PATCO Speedline station around 2 p.m. Thursday with a man the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office (CCPO) identified as 21-year-old Liam Heim of Gulfport, Florida.
Collingswood Police Chief Kevin Carey said investigators believe Heim came to New Jersey to meet Sparano in person after the two began chatting through a phone app.
The chief said police in New Jersey and Florida have not had any success reaching either Sparano or Heim by phone. They believe Sparano is traveling willingly with Heim.
“At this point, there’s nothing really criminal going on,” Carey said. “We’re not issuing an AMBER alert [because it doesn’t meet the criteria for the statute].”
Liam Heim, 21, of Gulfport, Florida as seen March 29 traveling on the PATCO speedline. Credit: CCPO.
Sparano attended school Thursday, and was seen wearing a long-sleeved white shirt with dark bands around the elbow, a yellow skirt, dark leggings, and black sneakers with a thick white tread.
Anyone that may be able to assist in locating her is asked to contact the Collingswood Police Department (856-854-1901, x104), CCPO Det. Latesha Jones (609-422-7219), or to e-mail ccpotips@ccprosecutor.org.
Information may submitted confidentially.
