Missing teen Makalia Mitchell found safe, reunited with family

DETROIT (WJBK) - After 10 days of searching, the family of 14-year-old Makalia Mitchell was reunited with her mother and brothers Friday.

Her mother Lisa Starkey said police picked up the teen walking near Davison and Conant not far from her home this afternoon.

"She has never ever done anything like this before," said mom Lisa Starkey. "Ever."

Starkey made emotional pleas days earlier on FOX 2 for her return. Just hours earlier today her younger brother was unable to hold back tears.

"Makalia if you see this, please come home because we all love you," said Jaheim Jenkins today.

Starkey reported the teen missing after she didn't return home from summer classes at Ben Carson High School last Wednesday.

Starkey says she had been calling and texting her daughter with no answer until Thursday night after Starkey spoke with FOX 2.

"I'm really confused with who is texting me," she said. "Because it's saying things in the text, I'm not familiar with her talking to me that way."

Starkey says she received several messages from Makalia's phone number talking about being bullied and suicide.

"(There were) texts about being beat up, being beat up and forced to have sex," Starkey said. "She was in Ypsilanti."

Starkey says the messages stopped after she was texting back and asking Makalia to come home, or for an address to come pick her up.

Makalia's family says they received a message that she was spotted at State Fair Grounds at about 9:20 p.m. Thursday.

A screenshot of a Snapchat photo surfaced believed to have been Makalia, but wearing different clothing.

Now Starkey tells FOX 2 her sleepless nights and constant feelings of fear are over.

Makalia is not commenting to Fox 2 about those eerie text messages as Detroit police say they are still investigating her disappearance.