Police Find Missing Grand Prairie Teen At Richardson Motel
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RICHARDSON (CBSDFW.COM) – A former high school teacher is in jail after the search for a missing teenager led police to a motel room.
Police found 25-year-old Michael Perez with a 16-year-old student in Richardson.
It was an anonymous tip that led investigators to the Econolodge on North Central Expressway after searching all day Thursday for the missing Grand Prairie High School student.
Richardson police and U.S. Marshals were among the officers who took Michael Perez into custody after finding him with his 16-year-old student.
"The girl is just fine. She's currently with detectives," Grand Prairie Police Officer Mark Beseda said.
Thursday Grand Prairie officers asked for the public's help after school officials discovered the two were missing and received a tip about a possible inappropriate relationship between them. Investigators began looking for a vehicle belonging to Perez and another belonging to the girl's family. Police say the teen was not kidnapped.
"In this situation, she left willingly with him, and we believe she may have actually driven herself to the scene, and so we don't have that kidnapping charge," Beseda said.
An Econolodge employee tells us Perez checked into the motel Thursday morning by himself, then asked for a new room further away from the lobby. The employee says about an hour later he returned with the girl.
Investigators recovered one of the missing vehicles in Dallas and believe the two may have started out in two cars before arriving together at the motel.
"So we have the teacher relationship issue that we're looking at, and if that charge applies, the improper relationship, then we will move forward with that as well," Beseda said.
For now, Perez faces a misdemeanor charge of harboring a runaway, but he could face a felony if police charge him with having an inappropriate relationship with a student.
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