Suspect, 55, had online relationship with Missouri teenager before abduction

Amy Kennish and her daughter Hannah had spent Saturday in the Kansas City area, shopping at Oak Park Mall and eating in Westport before returning to their Henry County, Mo., home about 1 a.m. Sunday.

Just hours later, Hannah disappeared.

“I noticed her missing about eight minutes before (calling police) … but searched the house and the yard before I made the call,” Amy Kennish said.

About 29 hours later, every parent’s nightmare ended with relief in this case when the missing 13-year-old girl was found safe in New Mexico and a 55-year-old man was charged with her abduction.

The ordeal began Sunday morning and ended Monday afternoon when authorities pulled over a pickup truck about 3:30 p.m. and found Hannah Kennish accompanied by Raymond C. Vallia.

Authorities said the girl and the man had communicated through social media for about four months and the two had made plans for Hannah to leave her family.

FBI agents were to interview Hannah before she was returned home, said Maj. Robert Hills of the Henry County sheriff’s office.

A computer forensics team from the FBI in Kansas City helped develop leads that led to Hannah being found.

“There was information that we really developed and closed in on late this morning,” Hills said Monday as he explained how the girl was tracked from Missouri to New Mexico.

Authorities issued an Amber Alert early Monday afternoon with a description of Vallia and his truck.

Henry County prosecutors charged Vallia with child kidnapping, a felony. Though they listed his address as Texas, his Facebook page says he moved to Albuquerque, N.M., in July. It also describes him as a Navy veteran and grandfather who has been married 20 years.

Hills said it did not appear that Vallia had a criminal record. He recently had traveled from New Mexico to Henry County for a meeting he and Hannah had planned through social media, Hills said.

Hills said that during their online communications, Hannah led Vallia to believe she was older than 13. Hills did not say how much older. He did not reveal other details of their conversations but said Hannah had several social media accounts under another name.

Her family did not know about the online relationship, Hills said.

Hannah disappeared between 8 and 10:30 a.m. Sunday from her Montrose home. After her mother went to check on her and couldn’t find her, she noticed the home’s back door was open.

At one point Monday, authorities said Vallia and Hannah knew each other but did not release other details until after she was found.

The Missouri Highway Patrol’s major-case squad assisted with the investigation. Authorities used a K-9 search team to gather information where Hannah left the house.

Earlier Monday, Kennish said it was uncharacteristic for her daughter to disappear. Hannah is a straight-A student who attends a private Christian school and enjoys swimming.

No money, jewelry or any of Hannah’s personal belongings were missing.

“She just vanished,” Kennish said.

This story was originally published March 30, 2015 at 8:44 AM with the headline "Suspect, 55, had online relationship with Missouri teenager before abduction."