CHRISTINA FORD - 14 yo - Zanesville OH

Steve Ford wants his 14-year-old daughter back home. Ford said Christina skipped afternoon classes at Zanesville High
School on Tuesday and had probably left school sometime after noon. But
he didn't know it until she didn't get off the school bus around 4 p.m.

"They never called and said anything to me," Ford said. "Now she's missing and we need to find her."

Kevin Appleman, district coordinator of operations/pupil services for
Zanesville City Schools, said Christina just left the school around 1
p.m. with only two classes left.

"We blue-slip students that are missing from class, and we didn't realize she had not gone home until
we got a call from the police later that afternoon," Appleman said.
"Since that moment, we've been talking to students, trying to develop
leads and helping in any way we can. We want Christina found and
brought home safe as much as anyone."

Ford and the Zanesville Police Department are asking the public's help in getting Christina home safe and sound.

"She may possibly be with a 22-year-old man from the area," said Detective
Sgt. Ric Roush. "But we're not really sure whom she is with or where
she is."

Ford said Christina might have met the man this summer
while she was involved in a program that helps students prepare for
college.

"She snuck out once before to meet him and I grounded
her," Ford said, his voice shaking. "Now she's gone, and we just want
her to come home."

Ford said his daughter is extremely bright and has been active in school programs.

"She's been a cheerleader and has been taking honors classes," Ford said.
"She's just very active at school and loves to play volleyball."

Appleman said the school is also investigating Christina's disappearance.

"We're talking to students, hoping the kids will be able to either get in
touch with her, tell her to get in touch with someone here or at the police station or at home, or hoping we get a lead on where she is," Appleman said. "The walls in the schools talk, and we're listening."

Appleman said he and the entire school and staff are extremely concerned.

"We're like a family here," Appleman said. "We want her home."

Christina is 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighs about 130 pounds. She is white, has
brown hair and brown eyes, and was last seen wearing purple pants, a
purple and white shirt, a purple and black vest, and black shoes. She
also has a brown hoodie with fur on the hood.

"We love you very much," Ford said he wanted to say to his daughter. "Please, please come home."

Christina may be in a gray, 2000 Hyundai four-door vehicle with Ohio license DRX7199, police said.

Anyone with information regarding Christina is urged to call the Zanesville Police Department at 740-455-0700.

After two days of agony, Steve Ford is breathing easier knowing his daughter is safely back home.
"I'm just so glad and thankful my baby's back," he said.Christina Ford,
14, had been missing since Tuesday, when she skipped afternoon classes.
Her father said she didn't get off the school bus around 4 p.m. that
day.According to Detective Randy Ritchason with the Zanesville
Police Department, Christina Ford and a 22-year-old man were returned
to Zanesville shortly before 6 p.m. Thursday by acquaintances from
South Carolina."I got on (the 22-year-old man's) Facebook and
e-mailed all his friends on there about my daughter, how old she was
and to look for her," Steve Ford said. "One called me to make sure it
wasn't a joke, then went to one of his friend's houses where they were
and drove them all the way from South Carolina to the Zanesville police station."Steve Ford said he didn't catch the good Samaritan's name, but is "very much relieved" and thankful for this man's actions."I was just so shaken up that my baby was home," he said.Christina
Ford is in juvenile lockup and is being charged with running away.
Steve said she was returned unharmed, and other than being a little
shaken up she seemed to be doing fine.The 22-year-old man, whose
name is not being released until formal charges are filed, is being
detained at the city jail with interfering with custody. His bond is
set at $5,000 cash.The case will be taken to the Muskingum County Prosecutor Friday morning for formal charges.

A former part-time temporary contract worker for the GEAR UP program
is now facing two charges of interfering with parental custody.
Mike J. Wutzler, 22, now faces 18 months in prison if convicted of
the two counts, according to Muskingum County Assistant Prosecuting
Attorney Bob Smith.

Wutzler was returned from South Carolina
Thursday evening after leaving with 14-year-old Christina Ford,
according to Zanesville Police Detective Randy Ritchason.

Ritchason said the pair went to the home of an acquaintance of Wutzler and when
he and Ford arrived, the acquaintance immediately brought them back to
Zanesville. Wutzler is currently at the Zanesville City Jail being held on a $10,000 cash bond while Ford was charged with being a
run away and is being held at the Muskingum County Juvenile Center. The GEAR UP program is run through the Muskingum County Community
Foundation. David Mitzel, executive director of the foundation said extensive background checks were done before Wutzler entered the
program as a contract worker.
"There was nothing to indicate anything like this would happen," Mitzel said. "He had great recommendations from teachers in the community and we have no idea what was going on." Heather Sands, director of college access programs for the foundation, said her office has interviewed other
contract workers with the program and found nothing alarming.
"We do know from the interviews that procedure was followed and no one,
including Mr. Wutzler, was ever left alone with any of the students at
any time," Sands said. "This has made us look at our interview process
a little closer. We just don't really know what this is about and were
shocked when we heard what happened."
Sands said Wutzler was with the program for 203 hours from the 2008 to 2009 school year and
from this past summer; 113 hours were from the past school year and 90
hours were this past summer, Sands said.
Wutzler worked about two days a week with the program at the Grover Cleveland school and was not brought back this past fall.
"There was no particular reason for that," Sands said. "We just are focusing
our efforts in a new direction and he just wasn't brought back."
GEARUP, or Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate
Programs, has services at both Grover Cleveland and Zanesville High
School. At Grover Cleveland, the program focus is on homework help, OAT
prep, academic enrichment to early college awareness and academic
enrichment trips during the school day.
Mitzel said Wutzler would not be allowed back into the program.