November 9, 2026, 1:04 pm | Read time: 2 minutes
A smartphone without cellular reception became a crucial link to the outside world for a missing teenager. Her plea for help eventually reached the FBI through the online game “Among Us.”
The teenager from the U.S. state of Utah was reported missing in May 2025 at the age of 15. Investigators believe that the now 39-year-old Adam Hunter Harmel had previously contacted her over the internet. He allegedly offered her money to come to Oregon, later drove to Utah himself, and took her with him. He is said to have discarded her smartphone afterward.
For more than 500 days, the teenager was reportedly held against her will in the man’s house in Oregon. According to investigators, she was not allowed to leave the house. Criminal charges were filed against Harmel after her rescue. The allegations have not yet been legally proven.
“Among Us” Enables Contact with the Outside World
As reported by IGN, the crucial opportunity arose through a smartphone the teenager accessed. Although the device had no cellular connection, it could connect to the internet via Wi-Fi. This allowed the now 17-year-old to play the online game “Among Us” and communicate with another young player.
The contact then shifted to another, unspecified social media platform. There, the teenager revealed her identity and explained that she was being held against her will. According to reports, she feared that after such a long time, authorities might have given up searching for her.
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Fellow Player Involves His Mother
The other player apparently took the messages seriously and informed his mother, who contacted the FBI. On November 1, 2026, a video call with the missing teenager took place, during which she described her situation to investigators and confirmed her location. The 17-year-old was freed from the house in Oregon and received medical care the same day.
Harmel was arrested. He is accused, among other things, of transporting a minor across state lines to engage in sexual acts. The unusual case also highlights the role communication in online games can play. In “Among Us,” contact with another player became the starting point for the crucial plea for help.