Sophia Cover’s missing teen case ended with relief for her family after the 16-year-old was found safe in New Jersey, more than 1,200 miles from her Florida home. Her father, Rick Cover, said the FBI located her, bringing an end to an 11-day search that drew intense attention from family, neighbors and law enforcement.
Rick Cover announced the news on Facebook, saying the words his family had been hoping to hear finally came true: their daughter was safe. He praised the Collier County Sheriff’s Office and Detective Marisol Rodriguez for their work on the case, and he also thanked the wider community for helping keep attention on the search. According to his post, people shared Sophia’s photo, sent tips, made videos, hung flyers and continued praying for her return.
Cover told Gulf Coast News that Sophia was found staying with friends in New Jersey. He said he still expected more answers from the Department of Children and Families about how she ended up so far from home and when he would be able to pick her up. He also said he planned to fly to New Jersey as soon as possible so he could see her again after nearly two weeks apart.
The search began after surveillance footage from the family’s home in Golden Gate Estates showed Sophia leaving during the early hours of July 31. The footage captured the teen slipping out before dawn, but it did not explain where she was headed or why she left. That uncertainty pushed her father into a wide search effort as he worked to find clues and refused to accept that she had simply vanished without help or explanation.
