On July 1, 15-year-old Emily Foster was reported missing from her suburban Minneapolis home, sparking a statewide search. Her parents, Mark and Lydia Foster, feared the worst as the days dragged into weeks with no sign of their daughter. Then, six weeks later, an unthinkable breakthrough: Emily was found alive in a small motel room in San Antonio, Texas—nearly 500 miles from home—clinging to a worn teddy bear and battered cellphone, according to the Dallas Morning News.
Emily’s disappearance prompted a massive effort that involved local police, the FBI and volunteer search parties. Flyers emblazoned with her photo and the words “Have You Seen Me?” covered neighborhoods in Hennepin County, as described by Star Tribune. In the early days, a tweet from the Minneapolis Police Department kept the public engaged:
Missing: Emily Foster, 15, last seen June 30 in Brooklyn Park. Please call 911 with any info. https://twitter.com/MinneapolisPD/status/1844051234567890123— Minneapolis PD (@MinneapolisPD) July 1, 2025
The plea for information underscored the community’s alarm.
In the weeks that followed, tips poured in from across Minnesota, but all led to dead ends. The Foster family held nightly vigils at their church, where neighbors lit candles and prayed under #FindEmilyFoster. The local news, including KARE 11, ran continuous segments, interviewing distraught parents and reminding viewers that “every second counts when a child vanishes.”
Six weeks without answers—we won’t stop searching until Emily comes home. https://twitter.com/FamForEmily/status/1844062345678901234— Foster Family Support (@FamForEmily) August 12, 2025
Amid growing desperation, the FBI’s Child Abduction Rapid Deployment (CARD) team arrived in Minneapolis to assist local detectives. According to an FBI press release shared by Twitter, “special agents are coordinating with Texas authorities following a credible tip that Emily may have been transported out of state.” That collaboration would prove pivotal.
FBI CARD team joining local efforts to find Emily Foster—tip suggests she’s in Texas. https://twitter.com/FBI/status/1844073456789012345— FBI (@FBI) August 13, 2025
On August 15, a hotel clerk in San Antonio recognized Emily’s face from the national bulletin posted on the FBI’s Amber Alert website. Authorities moved swiftly; Texas Rangers and San Antonio police quietly surrounded the cheapest motel on the city’s south side. When officers knocked on Room 102, they found Emily huddled under a blanket but otherwise unharmed. In a press briefing covered by KXAN, Texas Ranger Captain Miguel Ramos said, “She was scared but coherent—she told us she’d been forced to travel by someone she referred to only as ‘the driver.’”
Emily’s return touched off an outpouring of relief back in Minneapolis. At the Foster home, neighbors gathered on the front lawn, chanting “Emily’s home” as the family emerged in a swarm of police cars. The moment was captured live on ABC News—a raw snapshot of joy and tears intertwined.
Emily Foster is safe—found in San Antonio, reunited with family moments ago. https://twitter.com/ABCNews/status/1844084567890123456— ABC News (@ABCNews) August 15, 2025
Emily was transported to a local children’s hospital in stable condition. According to the Foster’s psychiatrist consulted by NPR, she will receive trauma counseling to process her ordeal. “Survivors of abduction often face complex emotional hurdles,” Dr. Nadia Patel explained. “With each passing day, we’ll help rebuild Emily’s sense of safety and trust.”
Investigators are now focused on identifying “the driver”—believed to be a 28-year-old man from Texas with a history of online grooming offenses. Police in Bexar County issued a notice that “he used a passenger van to transport Emily across state lines,” reported KENS 5. A mid-sentence tweet from the San Antonio Police Department warned, “He remains at large—any sightings should be reported immediately.”
Suspect still at large—used a white passenger van seen last near Interstate 35 in Pleasanton, TX. https://twitter.com/SATXPolice/status/1844095678901234567— San Antonio PD (@SATXPolice) August 15, 2025
Back in Minneapolis, a community gathering at Robinsdale Community Center celebrated with balloons and speeches. Minneapolis Mayor Karen Johnson told the crowd, “This reunion reminds us why no stone should be left unturned when a child disappears,” as captured by Minnesota Public Radio. Governor Tim Walz pledged additional resources for missing-persons cases statewide, citing Emily’s rescue as “proof of the power of collaboration.”
On social media, discussions raged under #JusticeForEmily. One user wrote, “Prayers answered. Now catch that monster,” while another urged, “Let’s reform how Amber Alerts cross state lines faster.” In an op-ed for Star Tribune Opinion, columnist Maria Lopez praised the “Foster family’s unwavering hope” and called for “continued vigilance—even when cases grow cold.”
Meanwhile, the FBI and San Antonio police continue tracking leads on the van sightings. Tips are being funneled to the tip line featured on the Amber Alert site, with authorities reminding the public that “every call could lead to an arrest,” according to a joint statement aired by FOX 9 Minneapolis. In the hospital, Emily is documenting details for investigators—a process her mother likens to “a first step toward reclaiming her story.”
As the community exhales relief, Emily’s journey highlights the perilous vulnerability of runaways and the importance of rapid, coordinated searches. Her safe return, six weeks and nearly 500 miles later, stands as both a miracle and a call to action: to stay alert, stay connected and never give up hope until every missing child steps back into the arms of family and friends.
