Sophie Long of Collin County, who has been missing since July of this year, has been found safe in a foreign country.
Michael Long, her forty-two-year-old father, does not have legal custody of his eleven-year-old daughter and is “being held on a felony charge of interference with child custody and will be extradited to the United States,” according to The Dallas Morning News.
Michael Long has been involved in a custody battle with his ex-wife Kelly Long since 2015.
According to Independent News, Michael “had refused to hand over Sophie to her maternal aunt amid a custody dispute.” The custody battle was between Michael Long, Kelly Long, and Sophie’s aunt. Sophie was sent to live with her maternal aunt in May.
The battle became even more heated when Sophie began to speak in code with her father, Michael.
According to The U.S. Sun, “Sophie is said to have written to her father Michael during COVID lockdowns after accusing her mom’s fiancé of sexual abuse in a viral video.” The fiancé’s name is Jacob Billington.
Long posted a video on social media of his daughter, who appeared stressed and extremely upset. In the video, she told her grandmother she didn’t want to go back to her mom’s house because her mom watches Mr. Jake “touch her.”
Long stated that he documented these occurrences to show the court.
Long reportedly told The Daily Mail that he would only return to court for a scheduled hearing in August if he could have his trial by jury.
Long said that his daughter “shouldn’t have to be dealing with this stuff. These high conflict custody cases, this wasn’t about getting into a custody case. This was about getting justice for my daughter… This is about a little girl who made an outcry… and has not gotten justice.”
Long claims that allegedly “the system” turned the case into a custody issue because they did not take action on Sophie’s accusations concerning Bellington. Kelly Long believes that this is a “personal vendetta” against her.
Authorities have not disclosed which country Sophie was found in and stated that more details would be provided after Sophie is back in the United States. She is currently in protective custody, and arrangements are being made to bring her back to Texas.
Jim Skinner, Collin County Sheriff, stated, “Many months of determined work by my deputies, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the U.S. Marshals paid off this morning… We are so happy Sophie is safe.”