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On Saturday, December 11, Collin County Sheriff's Office in McKinney, Texas, confirmed that Sophie Long had been located after going missing earlier this year. The ten-year-old Texas native was found in a foreign country and is being brought back to her family.
As per the authorities, Sophie Long is currently in protective custody. In July, she was taken to an undisclosed country by her father, Michael Long, amidst a custody battle between him and Sophie's mother.
While the sheriff's office did not reveal the country where Sophie Long was found, they previously mentioned that Michael Long could have taken her to Argentina or Mexico.
Collin County Sheriff's office's press release
The press release from the Sheriff's office also stated:
"Michael Long is in custody on a felony warrant for Interference with Child Custody."
Collin County Sheriff Jim Skinner said:
"Many months of determined work by my deputies, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Marshals paid off this morning. We are so happy that Sophie is safe."
The document also iterated that no further information about Sophie being found would be shared at this time until the ten-year-old is returned to her family.
Why did Sophie Long's father, Michael, flee with her?
Sophie Long reportedly informed Michael about being se*xually abused by her mother's new partner. Later, a viral video on Facebook also showcased young Sophie screaming not to visit her mother's house.
As per reports filed in court, Michael and Kelly have made multiple complaints against each to Child Protective Services. Michael had also accused Kelly's new partner of s*xually abusing Sophie Long.
Meanwhile, according to an alleged psychological evaluation, Kourtney Chalmers, believed to be Michael's current partner, previously claimed on Facebook that Michael is not a mentally stable person.
The custody battle
Since Michael's divorce from Kelly in July 2015, the two had been in the crosshairs of each other regarding custody of their daughter. At the time, the two shared custody of Sophie Long. However, in September last year, Michael lost custody and only had visitation rights.
Michael was accused of having a personal vendetta against ex-wife Kelly, according to her spokesperson. In August, Michael spoke to Dailymail.com regarding the accusations he faced. He said:
"I'd absolutely go to jail to protect Sophie. I'd do anything for her. She's a 10-year-old child. She shouldn't have to be dealing with this stuff. These high conflict custody cases - this wasn't about getting into a custody case. This was about getting justice for my daughter."
In August, Michael (43) was wanted at a jury trial for custody of his daughter. However, his ex-wife Kelly opposed it and demanded that Michael be sentenced to 30 months with the bail set at $20,000. She also demanded he pay her legal fees and the therapy of their other children (two sons).
