Missing Florida Teen Found Hiding with Sex Offender

A 17-year-old girl from Florida, who had been missing, was located in the closet of a convicted sex offender. The man, identified as Alexis Diaz Toledo, 30, has been arrested and faces several charges, according to a Tuesday announcement from law enforcement.

Polk County detectives visited Diaz Toledo’s residence on Monday after receiving tips from Orange County deputies. They believed a runaway boy might be with him, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office reported.

Initially, Diaz Toledo claimed he hadn’t seen the girl in days and insisted he did not know where she was. It’s troubling, really, how these situations unfold. He even tried to prevent detectives from searching his home.

As the investigation continued, officials discovered that he failed to report two cars registered to him, breaking the terms of his sex offender registration. Eventually, once they were able to search the premises, they found the missing girl concealed in a bedroom closet.

The sheriff’s office shared that the girl has been safely returned to her family, though details about how she ended up in Diaz Toledo’s home remain unclear.

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd expressed serious concern in a statement, saying, “A 30-year-old male sex offender is not the type of person you would want in a 17-year-old girl’s home.” He added that it was evident Diaz Toledo had no good intentions towards the girl.

In total, Diaz Toledo has been charged with multiple counts, including failure to comply with sex offender registration, interfering with child custody, and giving false information to law enforcement in the course of a missing persons investigation.

As of Wednesday, Diaz Toledo remained in custody and was ineligible for bail. He has been a registered sex offender since 2014, following a conviction for indecent assault involving a minor.