A 15-year-old girl who was reported missing from her home in Kesgrave has been found safe and well.
Suffolk police confirmed Kennedy Palmer had been found by officers in north Essex this afternoon and that a 31-year-old man from the Clacton-on-Sea area had been arrested on suspicion of child abduction.
Extensive police enquiries had been taking place since her disappearance and a dedicated team of detectives were working to find her.
Her mother Nicola Palmer issued an appeal on Facebook to help find her daughter after she left home at 8am wearing her school uniform on Thursday, March 16, but failed to arrive at Kesgrave High School.
A large police operation was launched, with the police helicopter joining the search for the teenager on Saturday.
Over the weekend, Mrs Palmer and friends printed out hundreds of flyers, handing them out in Kesgrave, Ipswich and at Foxhall Stadium during an evening banger racing event, a place the teenager and her friends were known to frequent.
Members of the public also rallied to help, gathering to search the Grange Farm estate and nearby woods for any sign of Kennedy.
Speaking yesterday, Detective Superintendent David Cutler said: “Kennedy, if you are seeing this, if you are hearing it, if you are seeing this story in a newspaper or on social media, please make contact.
“Make contact with your parents, make contact with us, with a friend, please let us know you are okay. Your parents are desperate to hear from you and we are too.”
On Saturday, Kennedy’s family released an appeal through police in the hope she would see their message.
They said: “Come home Kennedy, you are not in trouble, please just come home we are all missing you, if anyone has seen her can they please call the police immediately.”
Mrs Palmer said she was overwhelmed by the support the family had received as the community rallied to join to search.
She said: “For people to come out and help look for her was wonderful.”
The man is being questioned by detectives at Martlesham Police Investigation Centre tonight.
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