Rebecca Arthur. (Clinton Police Department)
A 17-year-old girl from Connecticut flew from New York to Morocco without her parents knowledge to be with her boyfriend, whom she met on Facebook, police said. Around 24 hours after cops went public with Arthur’s case, she was found safe in Morocco.
Rebecca Arthur, of Clinton, left for Casablanca, Morocco, from John F. Kennedy Airport in New York City on Monday to meet Sima El Adala, according to a police press release.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. Arthur Was Dropped Off at the Airport Her Mother
(Facebook)
Rebecca Arthur was dropped off at the airport by her mother, who was tricked into thinking her daughter was flying to California to visit a friend, police told the New York Daily News.
“She pulled a fast one on her mother,” Sgt. Jeremiah Dunn told the Daily News.
Arthur flew to the North African country on Delta Airlines with about $25 in her pocket, Dunn told the newspaper.
Police told NBC New York they “have reason to believe” that her online boyfriend paid for the plane ticket.
2. She Arrived in Morocco on Tuesday
(Facebook)
Clinton detectives said they confirmed that Arthur arrived in Casablanca, Morocco, on Tuesday, July 7. It is a more than 7-hour flight to Morocco and costs more than $1,000, according to Google Flights.
The Morocco World News claims Arthur has spoken to her family and is enjoying her time in Casablanca. The news site reports that Arthur plans to stay in Morocco for two weeks and then return home. The website also posted a photo of Arthur with her boyfriend, and a photo of what it claims is a signed permission slip from Arthur’s mother allowing her to fly to Morocco.
.@MWNEnglish reports claims #Clinton teen #RebeccaArthur “enjoying her time in Casablanca” http://t.co/OwEO4vdeWV http://t.co/gU6C5KvSaS
But Clinton Police said Arthur may have forged the document.
Arthur is described by police as about 5 feet tall, weighing 150 pounds with blue eyes and blonde hair with red highlights. She was wearing black yoga pants, a black sleeveless shirt and pink, blue and white Nike sneakers when she was dropped off at the airport. She had a red suitcase, police said.
According to the U.S. State Department, there is the danger of terrorist violence against U.S. citizens in Morocco:
The potential for terrorist violence against U.S. interests and citizens exists in Morocco. Moroccan authorities continue to disrupt groups seeking to attack U.S. or Western-affiliated and Moroccan government targets, arresting numerous individuals associated with international terrorist groups. With indications that such groups still seek to carry out attacks in Morocco, it is important for U.S. citizens to be keenly aware of their surroundings and adhere to prudent security practices such as avoiding predictable travel patterns and maintaining a low profile.
3. Her Parents Didn’t Know About the Relationship
Sima El Adala. (Facebook)
Police said that Arthur’s parents did not know she was in a relationship with someone she met on Facebook, and were also unaware of her plans to travel to Morocco.
Arthur’s Facebook page shows that she has “been in a relationship” with Sima El Adala, whose age is not known, since February 2015. She has posted photos of him on her Facebook page and he has done the same with photos of her.
Police told the Daily News they don’t know much about her supposed boyfriend.
“We don’t know what her motive was, why she flew to Morocco Was it for suspicious intent or was it for love, we don’t know,” Sgt. Jeremiah Dunn told the Daily News. “We don’t even know if this is a real person.”
El Adala says on his Facebook page that he lives in Florida, Uruguay. He says he went to “School of Rock USA” and works at “Gun’s N Rose,” and previously worked at “Rock-n-Roll GangStar Apparel.”
Arthur posted a photo of El Adala to her Facbeook page, setting it as her cover photo. When someone asked who he was, she replied “he’s my bf tehehe loll.”
The State Department’s website says fraud is an issue in Morocco:
Fraud in Morocco may involve a wide range of situations from financial fraud to relationship fraud for the purpose of obtaining a visa. If you believe you are the victim of a fraudulent scheme, you may wish to consult with an attorney to best determine what your options are under Moroccan law. Since fraud can involve a wide range of circumstances, it is difficult to provide general guidelines on how to pursue criminal charges in these issues.
Dunn told WFSB-TV, “We don’t know if he’s real, if he is somebody else, and what her motives were for going to Morocco or why she lied to her mom. We’ve confirmed with the American Consulate that she arrived safely, but where she went after that, we just don’t know.”
4. Police Are Calling it a Missing Persons Case
Sima El Adala, Arthur’s boyfriend. (Facebook)
Police said detectives are investigating Arthur’s trip to Morocco as a missing persons case.
Anyone who has been in contact with Arthur or El Adala, or knows information about them or anything related to the case, is asked to call Officer Santiago or Sergeant Joe Flynn at 860-669-0451.
Homeland Security and the FBI are assisting in the search. Arthur’s parents haven’t heard from her since her mother dropped her off at the airport, police said.
5. Minors Above the Age of 14 Are Allowed to Fly Unaccompanied on Delta Flights
(Facebook)
Many commenters on local news stories posted to Facebook about Arthur, and elsewhere on social media, have asked how she was able to fly alone to Morocco
According to Delta Airlines’ policies, minors between the ages of 14 to 17 are allowed to fly unaccompanied.
But the rules are potentially different for international flights. Clinton police told WFSB-TV that Arthur may have forged a document to get onto the international flight.
