# How brave Utah teen held captive in torture chamber for a year hatched clever plan to escape

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/how-brave-utah-teen-held-captive-in-torture-chamber-for-a-year-hatched-clever-plan-to-escape/
- Published: 2026-11-10T16:16:04+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-10T16:52:38+00:00
- Original publisher: New York Post (publisher lean: Right)
- Original article: https://nypost.com/2026/11/10/us-news/brave-utah-teen-held-captive-for-a-year-escaped-using-popular-online-video-game/
- Topics: Entertainment, Gaming, World

## Key points

- A teenager was rescued after more than 500 days in captivity.
- She reached another child through the game Among Us.
- The suspect faces a federal charge and further review.

## Summary

A Utah teenager who disappeared aged 15 was rescued in Oregon after more than 500 days in captivity, following a tip from the parent of a child she met while playing Among Us. The case highlights how contact through an online game helped her reach someone who could alert authorities.

Prosecutors say Adam Hunter Harmel, 39, groomed Arellano online, took her from Utah to his Oregon home in May 2025, and held and abused her there. In October, she told the other player she was being held against her will; her friend’s mother contacted the FBI, which verified her account before police and federal agents rescued her on 1 November. Harmel faces a federal charge carrying a minimum 10-year prison term if convicted, and authorities are reviewing a separate earlier allegation involving a six-year-old girl.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.