Police Searching For Missing North Richland Hills Teen
NORTH RICHLAND HILLS (CBSDFW.COM) – Police in North Richland Hills are searching for a missing 14-year-old girl who is believed to be in the company of a wanted Ohio man, who authorities said has done this before.
Ruby Contreras has been missing since April 24. On that day, the teenager went to classes at North Oaks Middle School in Haltom City, but never made it back home.
Investigators said that they have pictures of Contreras and 26-year-old Stephan Andrew Cox together, getting off of a Greyhound bus in El Paso.
Cox was scheduled to go on trial in Columbus, Ohio on May 7 for his involvement with another 14-year-old girl from Pennsylvania. He faces a charge of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor. Ohio detectives said that, in January, during an online chat, Cox convinced the Pennsylvania teen to take her parents' SUV and drive to his home in Ohio. Police found the two together in the stolen SUV. The girl was taken to a juvenile facility while Cox was arrested.
Nancy Terrell, the girl's mother, told CBS Pittsburgh in January that she wants to warn other parents about Cox. "He picked her," she explained. "He knew exactly what he was looking for and she did exactly what he told her to do."
While awaiting his trial, Cox was placed on house arrest and given an ankle monitor. The 26-year-old was allowed to leave his home for a job interview, however, Cox instead cut off his ankle monitor and headed to Texas, according to Ohio investigators.
"It's very highly likely that he could be involved in some form of human trafficking, and that's the biggest concern for this 14-year-old girl, that he may take her across the border into Mexico," said Detective Ronald Grocki.
Ruby Contreras is a Hispanic female, who stands 4 feet 11 inches tall and weighs 95 pounds. She was last seen wearing a black hoodie and blue jeans. Stephan Andrew Cox is a 26-year-old Hispanic male, who stands 5 feet 5 inches tall and weighs 130 pounds.
Anyone with information about the whereabouts of Ruby Contreras or Stephan Cox should call 911 or immediately contact North Richland police at 817-281-1000.
