Brittney Kustes Found: Police Still Searching For Convicted Sex Offender

LOUISVILLE, Ky (CBS/WLKY/AP) Brittney Kustes, a Kentucky teen missing for nearly two weeks, has been reunited with her family and authorities are looking for a person of interest in her disappearance.

PICTURES: Brittney Kustes Found

Bullitt County sheriff's Detective Scotty McGaha stopped short of calling 19-year-old Brittney Kustes' disappearance a kidnapping Friday and no charges have been filed, but he said authorities were looking for convicted sex offender Roy Vernon Elwell.

She told CBS affiliate WLKY that when Brittney arrived at the hospital Friday afternoon, she had injuries from being choked and scratches on her legs from being in the woods. She was also malnourished.

Brittney's mother, Lori Kustes, told reporters that her daughter had been through mental and physical abuse and said that "bad things have happened to my daughter."

Brittney was released from the hospital Friday night, according to family members.

Lori Kustes said Brittney told family members she was locked in a bedroom while she was missing.

"She wasn't allowed to call, text - anything," her mother said. "He took her phone physically apart. He was aware the phone was being tracked."

As family frantically tried to locate Brittney, Lori Kustes said Elwell used her media interviews to emotionally abuse Brittney.

"He would pull my interviews up on the internet and laugh at her about it and taunt her," she said.

McGaha declined to give any details to WLKY, but said Brittney went through a frightening ordeal.

"They're horror stories," McGaha told the station. "They're sickening. Frightening."

Kustes was scheduled to testify against Elwell in court on July 28.

Police say Elwell is armed and dangerous.

Anyone with information is urged to call the Bullitt County Sheriff's Department at 502-955-7480.