Joniah Walker Found Alive in Virginia as Owen Anderson Faces Kidnapping Charges
Joniah Walker, the Milwaukee teenager who vanished in 2022, has been found alive in Virginia after authorities say she was held captive for years.
Walker was 15 when she went missing from Milwaukee on June 23, 2022. NBC Chicago reported that she traveled to Chicago by Uber to meet a man she had communicated with online for several years. Authorities say that man, 37-year-old Owen Anderson, arranged the ride and later held her in Blacksburg, Virginia.
Anderson is charged in Milwaukee County with kidnapping and child abduction, according to NBC Chicago. He has not yet appeared in Wisconsin court and remains in custody in Virginia. Police said Walker was physically and sexually abused while held captive. The allegations have not been tested at trial.
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The case had long carried warning signs for Walker’s family. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children said Walker’s mother believed someone had lured her away online after the teen suddenly stopped responding and was seen leaving with a large green backpack. The Wisconsin Department of Justice missing-person page listed Walker as missing from Milwaukee since June 23, 2022.
The discovery has also renewed public reaction. Reddit missing-person and true-crime communities focused on online grooming and child safety, while Wisconsin Rep. Shelia Stubbs said Walker’s recovery should strengthen efforts to find missing people and advance a Missing and Murdered African American Women and Girls Task Force.
The next step is legal. Prosecutors will have to prove the charges in court.
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