A teenager who vanished from Missouri in December was discovered alive in a registered sex offender’s closet 700 miles from home.

During a raid on Maximilian Bondrescu’s house in Fort Collins, Colorado, just north of Denver, the nameless Columbia girl, 16, was discovered. Bondrescu, 44, a documented sex offender, had denied the teen’s presence at first, but when police investigated the property, they say they discovered her concealed in a closet.

After renting a car to pick up the young girl in Missouri, he is accused of kidnapping her. The adolescent claims that Bondrescu took her to his house and held her against her will.

Before being rescued on April 18, she informed police that Bondrescu had allegedly only sometimes allowed her to leave the house and forced her to work for his snow removal business, where he had her wear a mask to hide her identity and age.

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Bondrescu allegedly spoke with the youngster over the social media apps Boo and Snapchat, according to 9News. When the child did not show up for school, her father reported her missing.

According to reports, the woman told police that she had requested to return home in January and February, but Bondrescu had informed her that he lacked the funds to make the trip.

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Fort Collins Police Assistant Chief Kristy Volesky said, “The importance of the work done by the Fort Collins Police Cyber Crime Unit, and similar units across the nation play a vital role in helping to keep our children safe.”

“Had it not been for the diligent work of these detectives, the juvenile could have continued to be victimized. Our investigators will now work closely with the District Attorney’s Office to ensure justice for this child.”

On suspicion of second-degree kidnapping, second-degree assault, child abuse, false imprisonment, failing to register as a sexual offender, harboring a juvenile, and impeding a peace officer, Bondrescu was taken into custody.