A Utah teenager who was found alive in Oregon nearly 18 months after she disappeared was allegedly beaten repeatedly and forced to remove her braces with pliers in an effort to conceal her identity, according to newly revealed details in the case.
Kylie Arellano, now 17, disappeared from Garden City, Utah, on May 29, 2025, when she was 15. Federal prosecutors have charged a 39-year-old man in connection with her alleged captivity.
According to court documents reviewed by News Media, Adam Hunter Harmel allegedly became “very violent and aggressive, often hitting” the teenager. He also allegedly used pliers to force her braces off, making it more difficult for authorities to identify her.
Kylie Arellano was reported missing on May 30, 2025. (Rich County Sheriff’s Office/Facebook)
The federal complaint describes a disturbing period of alleged confinement inside Harmel’s home. Prosecutors say Arellano was kept in the basement, where she and Harmel shared a bed.
The complaint alleges that Harmel kept “a knife under his pillow and made MV [minor victim] sleep against the wall” to stop her from escaping.
Investigators also say Harmel expressed a desire to start a family with the teenager, claimed he was interested in minors and repeatedly sexually assaulted her during 2025 and 2026.
Harmel allegedly took Arellano across state lines with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.
Authorities said the teenager helped trigger her rescue after revealing her identity to another player she met through the online game “Among Us.” (Rich County Sheriff’s Office/Facebook)
Filed Nov. 2 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Utah, the criminal complaint lays out an alleged pattern of grooming, isolation and abuse.
For more than 500 days, Arellano’s mother continued searching for her daughter after finding her jacket abandoned in the driveway and discovering that her phone had been shut off.
The family’s wait ended Nov. 1, when law enforcement rescued Arellano from an Oregon home after receiving a tip from the parent of another “Among Us” player.
In an affidavit, FBI Special Agent Andrea Elder said Arellano’s family reported in 2025 that she had been groomed online. The contact reportedly began on gaming platforms before shifting to other social media applications.
A law enforcement source said the suspect allegedly met the teenager on Snapchat before she vanished.
The FBI also learned during its investigation that Arellano was allegedly groomed on platforms reportedly used by members of Nihilistic Violent Extremist (NVE) groups to solicit sexually explicit and maiming photographs, according to a release from the Department of Justice (DOJ).
Kylie Arellano was 15 when she disappeared from Garden City, Utah. She is now 17. (Rich County Sheriff’s Office/Facebook)
MORE STORY: Footy legend Paul Langmack dies after suspected sauna heart attack
Authorities allege that Harmel met Arellano online in May 2025, told her he had a disability affecting his “messed up” hips and offered her money to travel to Oregon.
On or around May 29, 2025, Harmel drove from Oregon to Perry, Utah, to pick her up. The complaint says that after Arellano got into his vehicle, he threw her phone into a river in Logan Canyon, drove her to his home in Huntington, Oregon, and told her she could not leave.
A housemate told the FBI that Harmel said he had brought home a “new girlfriend” from Utah. The housemate did not see the teenager until roughly two months later, when she ran back into the basement.
Harmel allegedly gave Arellano a phone without cellular data, restricting her internet access to Wi-Fi, according to the complaint.
Arellano’s opportunity to seek help emerged in mid-October 2026, when she connected with another minor while playing “Among Us.”
After the two moved their conversation to another social media platform, Arellano disclosed her identity and said she was being held against her will in an Oregon man’s home. She also told the minor that she believed police had stopped searching for her.
A knife recovered from the Oregon home where authorities say Kylie Arellano was held. (FBI)
Arellano’s mother alerted the FBI, which monitored a Nov. 1 video call. During the call, the teenager showed investigators the knife Harmel allegedly kept and other evidence supporting her account.
Later that day, Oregon State Police and federal agents rescued Arellano and transported her for medical care.
A search of Harmel’s residence reportedly found knives, BB guns and sexual lubricant, according to the complaint. He was arrested during a traffic stop in Ontario, Oregon.
Harmel was expected to make his initial appearance in federal court Wednesday.
In a statement, U.S. Attorney for the District of Utah Melissa Holyoak said the case’s primary concern was ensuring the “safe return of the minor victim.”
“Those who allegedly exploit and prey upon the most vulnerable members of our communities will be relentlessly investigated and held accountable.”
FBI Director Kash Patel delivered a similar message to people who target or exploit children.
“The FBI and our partners are coming for you. We are using every tool at our disposal to combat nihilistic violent extremism, bring offenders to justice, and protect America’s most vulnerable,” he said.