The Among Us teen rescue occurred when Kylie Arellano, 17, was saved from a home in Huntington, Oregon, on November 1, 2026. Contact with another Among Us player helped her reach the FBI after she had been missing for more than 500 days.
Arellano connected with the other minor in mid-October. They exchanged contact details and moved their conversation to a separate social media platform, where she revealed her identity and said she was being held against her will.
Communication between crewmates
How the connection reached the FBI
The teenager had a phone without cellular service that could still connect to Wi-Fi. Federal prosecutors allege that Adam Hunter Harmel, 39, had been keeping her captive at his home and had given her the device.
The other player's parent contacted the FBI. On November 1, investigators monitored a video call in which Arellano described her situation and showed them a knife Harmel allegedly kept beneath his pillow.
Oregon State Police worked with federal investigators on the rescue, and authorities arranged medical treatment for Arellano. Harmel was arrested during a traffic stop in Ontario, Oregon.
Federal prosecutors bring a charge
Arellano disappeared in May 2025, when she was 15. Prosecutors allege Harmel met her through social media, discarded her original phone in a river, and took her across state lines.
The U.S. Department of Justice announced on November 4 that Harmel was in federal custody. A criminal complaint filed on November 2 charged him with transporting a minor across state lines with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.
Harmel made his initial federal court appearance in Boise, Idaho, on November 4. The allegations have not been proven in court, and he is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
