Missing 12-Year-Old Found Safe, Now Back Home

PERRY HALL, Md. (WJZ) -- A missing 12-year-old girl has been found safe and is now back home with her family.

Rick Ritter reports, Jasmine Baker, who was last seen Tuesday in White Marsh - was found alive in North Carolina.

After missing for more than 72 hours, 12-year-old Jasmine Baker was reunited with her family and friends. It comes after after an exhaustive search for the teen that landed FBI billboards up and down the east coast.

"There were days where I thought I would never see her again and she was gone," said Jasmine's mother Tina Baker.

Late Friday night - authorities found Jasmine more than 300 miles away in North Carolina - with a man believed to be in his 30s.

"I just stopped and started crying, I couldn't say anything," said Baker. Shortly after Jasmine made a phone call to her shattered mother.

"I answered and she said mom , I was just like "Jasmine" and I just had to breathe and breathe to try and stay calm," added Baker.

Jasmine was last seen at her home Tuesday morning. The 12-year-old was supposed to walk to Perry Hall Middle School, less than a mile away-but never showed up.

Baltimore County police say the teen was known to communicate with men in other states using her IPad and Xbox with clues from both devices playing a crucial role in finding her.

"It takes one tip that's it, one tip is why Jasmine is here," said Tina Baker.

The family admits they are desperate for answers-but only when the time is right.

When asked if she was harmed in any way her grandfather Merill Bittner said, " No because we won't question her, that will come out of that child in time."

The identity of the man from North Carolina has not been released yet - as federal agents continue to question him there and charges are pending.

Detectives say they continue to investigate how Jasmine met this man and the nature of their interactions over the past few days.

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