Ky-Lea And Shaeleen Fortner: Teen Sisters Found Alive One Year After Kidnapping

Ky-Lea Fortner, 16, and Shaeleen Fitch-Fortner, 14, were found alive one year after they vanished from their Birmingham, New York, foster home. Although the teen sisters were initially reported as runaways, authorities now believe they were abducted by an acquaintance and held against their will.

According to the New York State Police, Ky-Lea and Shaeleen Fortner were last seen waiting for the school bus outside Susquehanna Valley Middle/High School. When they did not return to their foster home that afternoon, the family assumed they ran away.

At the time of their disappearance, Ky-Lea was 15 and Shaeleen was 13-years-old. Although they were assumed to be runaways, authorities never stopped searching for the teens.

Broome County District Attorney Steve Cornwell confirmed that officials received a tip about the teens’ whereabouts nearly 12 months after they were reported missing. Ky-Lea and Shaeleen Fortner were found during a subsequent search of a Vestal, New York, home.

Cornwell said the teen sisters were found in good health. However, authorities believe they were abducted, and held captive against their will.

Press & Sun Bulletin reports Amanda J. Hellmann, 29, was arrested and charged with second-degree kidnapping, which is a class-B felony in the state of New York. During her arraignment, Hellmann pleaded not guilty. She is currently being held at the Broome County Jail, without bond, pending trial.

Amanda Hellmann is led into Vestal Court on charges of kidnapping. pic.twitter.com/UZRZKQgQ5P

— Andrew Thayer (@Andrew_Thayer) March 11, 2016

District Attorney Cornwell confirmed there are no further charges pending against the accused kidnapper, and authorities believe she acted alone.

It is unclear what motivated Amanda Hellmann to abduct the teens sisters and hold them against their will for nearly one year. However, according to the criminal complaint, the defendant “conducted numerous acts to prevent law enforcement from returning the two children to their foster parents.”

According to reports, Hellmann was “a family acquaintance” but was not related to the teen sisters. The accused kidnapper is being represented by Assistant Public Defender Michael Baker, however, the attorney has not revealed a motive in the unusual case.

Ky-Lea Fortner, 15, and her sister, Shaeleen Fitch-Fortner, 13, #Missing on April 27, 2015. https://t.co/JhTCIVYHBZ pic.twitter.com/72ySDoiSdo

— Tom (@twittenup) February 4, 2016

Authorities said Ky-Lea and Shaeleen Fortner appeared to be in good physical health when they were found in Hellmann’s home. According to reports, the teen sisters are currently in the custody of Broome County Child Protective Services.

During a press conference, Broome County District Attorney Steve Cornwell thanked the New York State Police for their efforts to find the missing teen sisters and remove them from Amanda Hellmann’s home without further incident.

“Eleven months goes by… and you think the worst… State police have honestly been working this case every single day. They didn’t give up.”

The case brings to mind the rescue of Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus, and Michelle Knight, who were abducted by Ariel Castro between August 2002 and April 2004. Although their families never gave up hope, it was unclear whether the young women were kidnapped or whether they simply ran away. Authorities were also unaware the three disappearances were related.

CBS News reports that Berry, DeJesus, and Knight were rescued from Castro’s Cleveland, Ohio, home on May 6, 2013. Unlike Ky-Lea and Shaeleen Fortner, Ariel Castro’s captives were not found in good health. All three women reported years of brutal physical and sexual abuse.

Ariel Castro was subsequently charged with 977 criminal counts, including 512 counts of kidnapping and 446 counts of rape. Following his conviction and sentence to life in prison, Castro committed suicide by hanging on September 3, 2013.

Few details are known about the kidnapping of Ky-Lea and Shaeleen Fortner at this time, so it is unclear whether they were abused while they were being held captive. However, authorities confirmed the teen sisters were found safe and appear to be in good health.

[Image via Kamira/Shutterstock]