A heroic father has rescued his 14-year-old daughter in a dramatic operation after she went missing for 26 days on Long Island, New York.
Frank Gervasi found his daughter Emmararae aboard a large boat in Islip following an anonymous tip about her whereabouts.
The teenager had vanished on December 9 after stepping outside her East Patchogue home to retrieve items from a Jeep.
"It was the end of 26 days of hell seeing her alive in my arms. It was a gift from God," Gervasi told local news.
Frank Gervasi rescued his daughter Emmararae in a dramatic operation
Handout/Facebook
A large-scale search operation was launched immediately after Emmararae's disappearance, with Gervasi working closely with local police.
Less than 24 hours after she vanished, he received information that she had been seen walking along a road in Bohemia before she "completely vanished without a trace".
The desperate father had last spoken to his daughter about dinner plans before she disappeared.
Police conducted extensive searches, including the use of cadaver dogs and helicopters in upstate New York.
Gervasi also offered a £10,000 reward for information leading to his daughter's return.
Following an anonymous tip, Gervasi tracked down his daughter on a boat off Main Street in Islip.
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"I bust into the boat and recovered my daughter. She has been saved and is alive. I believe it was persistency that helped bring her home," he said.
Gervasi believes his daughter initially went with someone she knew before becoming afraid to return home.
He told News 12 she was later picked up by a stranger who took her to a trailer park before moving her to the boat.
During her disappearance, he received mysterious phone calls from unknown numbers that sounded like his daughter.
Francis Buckheit, 65, has been arrested and charged with rape and kidnapping in connection with Emmararae's disappearance.
Buckheit appeared at First District Court in Central Islip on Monday, where he entered a not-guilty plea.
The charges include rape, kidnapping, and acting in a manner injurious to a child, court records show.
He was arrested on January 3, the same day Emmararae was discovered.
A large-scale search operation was launched immediately after Emmararae's disappearance
Buckheit is being held without bail and is due to appear in court on Thursday morning.
His defence attorney, Danielle Marie Papa, confirmed the charges according to local media.
Emmararae is now recovering in hospital as the investigation continues.
Her mother, Melissa Dervay, expressed relief at her daughter's safe return.
"The moment I heard her voice and knew she was OK, I felt a weight lifted off my body," Dervay told Greater Long Island.
"I've been so tense for the past four weeks, quietly fighting a battle. Now, I'm elated," she added.
Suffolk County Police Department has impounded the boat where Emmararae was found as evidence.
The community had rallied around the family during the search, with locals helping to distribute flyers and conduct searches.
