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A 14-year-old Malaysian Chinese girl who went missing for over four days after allegedly running away with a middle-aged man she met through online gaming has been found safe by police.

Wong Yik Xuan was successfully located by Johor police at 5 PM today in Batu Pahat, according to her father, who received the call from authorities at 8 PM this evening.

The girl’s father, who works in Singapore, expressed relief after receiving the news from Johor police.

“The police called me at 8 pm tonight to inform me that my daughter has been found in Batu Pahat at 5 pm today,” the father said to the press on Sunday (27 July).

However, details about the circumstances of her discovery remain unclear.

When asked whether his daughter was found with the 47-year-old man she had been communicating with online, the father said the family is still awaiting more information.

We don’t know the full details yet. We need to meet with my daughter and the police before we can understand the complete situation.

The Disappearance That Sparked Concern

Wong had vanished last Wednesday (23 July) after her grandfather dropped her off at a secondary school in Kepong.

When she failed to return home by the 1 PM dismissal time, the family discovered she had never attended school that day.

The case had raised serious concerns about online predatory behavior, as the family suspected Wong was with a 47-year-old man she had met through gaming platforms.

Before her disappearance, the situation had been escalating:

Wong was frequently returning home after midnight with suspicious marks

Family members had witnessed her getting into vehicles with the older man

The suspect had made elaborate promises including transferring car ownership and buying property

Police reports had been filed two weeks prior due to concerning behavior

Background Investigation Revealed Red Flags

Family investigations into the 47-year-old suspect had uncovered troubling details:

He had sold his house in Batu Pahat, Johor

Neighbors reported he owed money to loan sharks

He allegedly defrauded a local woman of over RM10,000 just two months earlier

His promises of wealth appeared to be fabricated

The father had specially returned from Singapore to handle the crisis after his daughter went missing.

Since his wife passed away last year, he had been working overseas while his parents cared for his two children.

My daughter and the online friend seemed to have vanished like they disappeared from the world. We couldn’t contact them at all. I was very worried about what had happened to my daughter.

While the immediate crisis has been resolved with Wong’s safe recovery, the family awaits a full briefing from police about the circumstances surrounding her disappearance and discovery.

The family had previously appealed for public assistance, and this case is a reminder for parents to monitor their children’s online activities and relationships.

Parts of this story have been sourced from Sin Chew and China Press.

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