This week, federal marshals took dramatic action in Libertyville, Illinois, to rescue a 15-year-old girl who had been missing from North Carolina. The rescue happened on Prairie Ridge Road, where law enforcement had been tracking the girl’s location after discovering she was at the home of 43-year-old Andrew Szech.
The girl had gone missing earlier this month after meeting Szech online. He convinced her to come to Chicago, where he picked her up and took her to his Libertyville home. There, he abused her. When marshals arrived to rescue her, they found more than just the teenager in distress; they also discovered a gun, a large amount of cannabis, and other illegal substances in the house.
Local residents had long suspected something was wrong at Szech’s home due to frequent suspicious activity. Their concerns intensified when Szech was previously arrested for shooting a gun outside his house, with bullets hitting a nearby home. The aftermath of that incident still marks the street.
Szech now faces several serious charges, including criminal sexual abuse, aggravated battery, unlawful possession of a firearm, and drug-related offenses. Additional charges may be added. He remains in Lake County Jail and is set for a detention hearing on Friday.
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The girl is now safe and will be returned to her family in North Carolina, bringing relief to her loved ones and demonstrating law enforcement’s commitment to handling such critical cases.
