A Utah teenager who was allegedly abducted by a predator at 15 played a key role in her own rescue after more than 500 days in captivity, using the online game Among Us to contact another child.
Kylie Arellano, now 17, disappeared from her home in Garden City, Utah, on May 29, 2025. Her disappearance triggered a wide-ranging investigation involving multiple law enforcement agencies across the United States and abroad.
The crucial lead emerged last month when Arellano connected with another player on Among Us and told the child who she was.
According to federal court records, she said she was being held at a man’s home in Oregon and believed authorities had stopped searching for her.
She also sent her online contact news reports about her disappearance.
The child’s mother then contacted the FBI, federal authorities said. Investigators arranged to monitor a video call between the two on November 1.
During the call, Arellano described meeting 39-year-old Adam Hunter Harmel, who allegedly took her to his home in Huntington, Oregon.
She showed investigators a knife that she said Harmel kept beside his bed, along with other details that supported her account. Oregon State Police and federal agents later went to the property, rescued the teenager and took her for medical care.
Kylie Arellano, 17, helped lead authorities to her rescue after more than 500 days in captivity. Source: Rich County Sheriff’s Office
Court documents say she identified herself to another child while playing Among Us.
Federal investigators allege that Arellano was groomed through online gaming platforms before her interactions shifted to other social media apps.
Her parent told authorities that she had been sending sexually explicit photos and videos to people online in exchange for money.
In May 2025, Harmel allegedly contacted Arellano, telling her he was disabled, that his hips were “messed up” and offering to pay her to travel to Oregon, according to a complaint filed in the US District Court of Utah.
The complaint alleges that Harmel later drove to Utah to collect Arellano, took her to Oregon, threw her phone into a river and compelled her to remain inside the house.
Investigators say the pair slept in the same basement bed, with Arellano positioned next to a wall.
During what authorities describe as a nearly year-and-a-half-long period of captivity, Harmel allegedly became increasingly abusive, regularly striking Arellano and stopping her from leaving.
He allegedly kept a knife beneath his pillow at night and used pliers to force her to remove her braces, reportedly to make identification more difficult.
According to the criminal complaint, Arellano said Harmel talked about starting a family with her and indicated that he was sexually attracted to minors.
At some point, Harmel gave her a cellphone without mobile data. The device could connect only through Wi-Fi, but that was enough for Arellano to play Among Us and eventually reach someone who could help.
Arellano’s parent told investigators that the teenager had exchanged sexually explicit images and videos online for money. She is pictured with her mother. Source: Stephanie Kaye/Facebook
After the rescue, investigators interviewed Harmel’s housemate, who said Harmel had introduced Arellano as his new girlfriend.
The housemate told authorities that Harmel said he was traveling to Utah to pick up his girlfriend, but he did not see Arellano until roughly two months after she arrived.
A search of the property uncovered items investigators said were consistent with parts of Arellano’s account, including sexual lubricant.
Harmel was arrested during a traffic stop in Ontario, Oregon, and booked into the Malheur County Jail, according to KGW.
He faces a charge of traveling across state lines with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. A conviction could result in a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison.
Harmel did not enter a plea during a November 4 court appearance in Boise, Idaho. He is scheduled to return for a detention hearing on Tuesday.
The timing of any extradition to Utah remains unclear. Our News Outlet contacted the local sheriff’s department, the US Attorney’s Office and the FBI seeking additional information.
Authorities allege that Harmel contacted Arellano in May 2025, described himself as disabled and offered her money to travel to Oregon. Source: stefery84/Instagram
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Harmel is also accused of sexually assaulting a six-year-old girl several months before Arellano allegedly disappeared.
Eric Solari told NBC News that his daughter visited Harmel’s neighboring home for a sleepover with Harmel’s daughter in 2024. When she returned, she said “something wasn’t right.”
“She didn’t tell us what was wrong,” Solari said. “There was a secret, but she couldn’t remember what it was.”
Several months later, in late October or early November 2024, Solari said his daughter told her parents that she had been sexually abused during the sleepover.
Solari said he and his wife immediately contacted the Baker County Sheriff’s Office in Oregon, which interviewed the girl.
The investigation was eventually presented to a grand jury, which declined to indict Harmel. However, Baker County District Attorney Greg Baxter said the case remained open should additional evidence emerge.
Solari said Harmel became hostile after the family reported the allegations.
“He started getting really nasty. He would curse at neighbors, make obscene gestures and be openly hostile toward us,” Solari said.
Arellano was rescued from a Huntington, Oregon, home where she allegedly shared a basement bed with Harmel.
The family sought protective orders against Harmel and his then-wife. Both orders were issued in March 2025 and remain in effect until Solari’s daughter turns 18.
Two months after the protective order was filed, Solari said Harmel moved into a relative’s home across the street from his daughter’s school.
Court documents obtained by NBC News indicate that Harmel’s wife filed for divorce in an Idaho court in May 2025. The divorce was finalized in January.
When classes resumed in August, Solari said Harmel violated the protective order.
“Our daughter would be at school, and we knew Adam was passing by while she was there,” Solari alleged. “That violated the protection order. The school called, we called, and nothing was done.”
The father said he now believes Arellano might have been located sooner if authorities had followed up on concerns surrounding Harmel’s home.
“If they had followed through on those calls, she would have been found,” he said. “And if they had acted on my daughter’s case, she might never have been abducted.”
Solari’s family eventually moved away, a decision he said finally allowed his daughter to feel safe.
When the family learned Harmel had been arrested, Solari said he and his wife were “devastated” and “flabbergasted.”
Arellano disappeared on May 29, 2025, prompting a major multi-agency search before she was rescued on November 1. Source: Rich County Sheriff’s Office/Facebook
Huntington is a small community where residents know one another, Solari said, adding that people were shocked by the allegations.
“From the people I speak with, they’re extremely upset. They don’t want him there, and they don’t want their children in danger.”
Solari said he still hopes Harmel will face charges related to the allegations involving his daughter.
“It’s painful that justice for us came only after someone else was harmed. I wish that had never happened. But my biggest concern is making sure he’s off the streets.”
“We want to see this man go away for life,” he added, speaking for himself and his wife. “We want justice for our children — and by our children, I mean all children. We need to stop protecting predators and start protecting children.”
In a statement to NBC News, Baxter said his office was actively reviewing the case involving Solari’s daughter and had obtained a warrant the previous week.
“This is kind of like an earthquake bringing more things to light,” Baxter said of the federal case.
He added that he had been communicating with federal prosecutors and the FBI to determine whether evidence from their investigation could assist the state case.
Our News Outlet has also contacted the Baker County District Attorney’s Office for comment.
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