A 17-year-old schoolgirl who had been missing for 263 days has been found alive at the home of a former teacher, Jobe Binkley, in Columbus. The teenager had run away from the Huckleberry House crisis shelter on December 2, 2025, and her family had consistently pointed authorities towards Binkley’s residence, believing she was being held there.

The girl's family has accused Binkley, a former science teacher with the Springfield City School District, of grooming the teenager. Chelsi Warner, the mother of the victim's half-sister, revealed that Binkley had been inappropriately influencing the girl since they first met at school two years ago. Warner stated that the girl had previously run away to Binkley’s house last year, indicating a troubling pattern of behavior.

Warner expressed her outrage, saying, "She's had a troubled history with her mother and this groomer took advantage of a girl looking for a parental figure. It's absolutely disgusting ... and she's so groomed and brainwashed by that man that she doesn't see what he's done to her."

Binkley, 48, was arrested and charged with one count of interference with custody, a first-degree misdemeanor. After his arrest, he was released on bond and has pleaded not guilty to the charges. The prosecutor noted that without the cooperation of the teenager, it was challenging to pursue more serious charges against Binkley, who had previously faced allegations of inappropriate conduct with students.

The investigation into the girl’s disappearance took a significant turn when a U.S. Marshals' special task force entered Binkley's home on August 21, 2026, and discovered the missing girl inside. This discovery came after months of frustration for her family, who had provided the Springfield Police Department with evidence, including photographs of the girl in Binkley’s home, yet felt their concerns were not taken seriously.

Warner lamented, "I'm very upset with this situation. We had photos of her in the house holding guns, and we know about the allegations from other students against this man, but we were always told there's not enough evidence yet."

Binkley had been placed on administrative leave twice before his termination in February 2025 for violating district policies regarding technology use. The case has raised serious questions about the safety of students and the responsibilities of educational institutions in protecting them from potential predators.