BURBANK, IL—Patricia "PJ" Perez, 14, who has been missing for more than six weeks, has been located, Burbank police said in a news release.
The Burbank teen went missing on June 7. She was last seen at the corner of Mason and 78th Street around midnight. She has been the subject of an intensive search.
PJ was reportedly located Tuesday by Chicago police, her mother said, at an unknown location. PJ's mother, Rachael Popaco, said her daughter was taken to an undisclosed hospital for observation.
Burbank police confirmed Wednesday that the 14-year-old girl had been located. Last week, Burbank police requested Illinois State Police to place PJ on the missing and endangered person list.
"This matter remains under active investigation," police said. "Anyone with information pertaining to this incident is asked to contact the Burbank Police Department Investigations Division at 708-924-7300.
PJ's mother issued the following statement:
"We are relieved to share that Patricia 'PJ' Perez, 14, has been found.
At this time, no further information is available, and we ask everyone to please respect PJ's privacy, as well as the privacy of her family and those involved.
We know many people have been praying, sharing her story, distributing flyers, and supporting the search over the past several weeks. Thank you to everyone who played a part in keeping PJ's name and face in front of the community.
For now, we are simply grateful that PJ has been found.
Thank-you for your compassion, your support, and for standing with her family."
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