A 17-year-old schoolgirl who had been missing for 263 days has reportedly been found alive at the home of a former teacher in Columbus, Ohio.
The teenager reportedly disappeared from the Huckleberry House crisis shelter on December 2, 2025, after running away from the facility.
According to her family, they repeatedly informed police that they believed the girl was staying at the home of Jobe Binkley, a 48-year-old former science teacher with the Springfield City School District.
Family accuses former teacher of grooming teenager
The family has accused Binkley of allegedly grooming the teenager after they met at school about two years ago.
Chelsi Warner, the mother of the girl’s half-sister, told The Post that the teenager had a troubled relationship with her mother and that Binkley allegedly took advantage of her search for a parental figure.
“She’s had a troubled history with her mother and this groomer took advantage of a girl looking for a parental figure,” Warner said.
“It’s absolutely disgusting … and she’s so groomed and brainwashed by that man that she doesn’t see what he’s done to her,” she added.
Warner also claimed that the teenager had previously run away to Binkley’s home and that family members had repeatedly raised concerns about the relationship.
Teenager eventually found inside former teacher’s home
Binkley had reportedly denied police entry into his home twice during the investigation into the teenager’s disappearance.
However, a US Marshals special task force eventually entered the property on August 21 and reportedly found the teenager alive inside, according to ABC 6.
Warner said the discovery was particularly frustrating because family members had allegedly been telling authorities for months that the girl was at Binkley’s residence.
She claimed the family had even provided the Springfield Police Department with photographs purportedly showing the teenager inside the house.
“I’m very upset with this situation,” she said. “We had photos of her in the house holding guns, and we know about the allegations from other students against this man, but we were always told there’s not enough evidence yet.”
Former teacher arrested
Binkley was arrested and charged with one count of interference with custody, a first-degree misdemeanor. He was subsequently released on bond and has pleaded not guilty.
The prosecutor reportedly expressed frustration that Binkley could not be charged with a more serious offence without the teenager’s cooperation.
Binkley had previously faced allegations of inappropriate behaviour involving students, although he denied wrongdoing.
The teenager had also reportedly gone missing in November 2025 and was found several days later staying with Binkley, according to posts shared by family members and friends.
Binkley was placed on administrative leave in November 2024 and again in January 2025 before the school district terminated his employment the following month for violating its technology-use policy.
The case remains under investigation, while the circumstances surrounding the teenager’s prolonged stay at Binkley’s home and the allegations of grooming remain subject to the legal process.