A missing 13-year-old girl who lives in Van Nuys has been found, but police continue to search for a 50-year-old male transient who apparently still has the family’s SUV.
Maria Roman was found about 8:20 a.m. at a friend’s house after being reported missing hours earlier. But the man she was last seen with, a transient named Michael Stewart, remains missing.
According to police, Maria and her family befriended Stewart. On Saturday, the girl left with Stewart in the family’s 1998 Nissan red Pathfinder, California License plate 8CHH187.
Stewart is Hispanic. He stands 5 feet 7 inches tall and weighs about 180 pounds. He has brown hair and brown eyes. He last was seen wearing a black shirt, gray pants and black and white shoes. He originally was identified as being 50 years old, but an NBC4 broadcast reported him as 45 years old.
Anyone who knows the whereabouts of Stewart was asked to call the LAPD’s West Valley juvenile detectives at (818) 374-7730 or the 24-hour LAPD Tipline at (877) 527-3247. Tipsters can also call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477.