HAHNVILLE, La. — A 14-year-old girl from Tennessee who had been reported missing has been safely discovered in the woods of Louisiana, abandoned by a man she had met online. Authorities reported that the girl was taken by Alexander Materne, a 28-year-old man, who drove her to his residence in St. Rose, Louisiana, after picking her up from her home on December 23. Following their arrival, an inappropriate encounter occurred, after which the girl revealed her age to him, according to a release from the St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office.
After the incident, Materne allegedly transported the girl to a remote area in Tangipahoa Parish, leaving her with a tent, food, and water before heading to Jennings, Louisiana, to celebrate Christmas with his family. Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff Gerald Sticker noted that the pair had connected through a gaming platform prior to the incident, leading to Materne’s journey to Tennessee to meet her.
Materne is facing various severe charges, which include aggravated kidnapping of a minor, felony human trafficking, and carnal knowledge of a juvenile. Jail records do not indicate whether he has legal representation available to advocate on his behalf.
The investigation took a critical turn when the girl’s parents decided to conduct their own inquiry. They managed to track Materne’s whereabouts to Jennings, approximately 160 miles west of his St. Rose residence. Sheriff Sticker praised the parents for their efforts, stating, “They were the key to all of this,” and humorously mentioned offering them jobs as investigators.
On Christmas Eve, the Jennings Police Department received tips regarding Materne potentially harboring the girl. However, when officers arrived at the maternal family home, they were informed that he was not present. The following day, authorities learned that he had returned home for the Christmas celebration and subsequently consented to speak with police.
Following discussions with law enforcement, Materne led detectives to the location where the girl had been left in the woods, approximately 42 miles from his home, where she had remained for around two days. Sheriff Sticker expressed relief at her safe discovery, describing the outcome as a “Christmas miracle,” which could have resulted in a much grimmer situation.
The girl was subsequently taken to a local hospital for evaluation before being reunited with her family, as reported by investigators.
