Missing Teen Found, Wrestling Coach Arrested For Sexual Offense Involving Minor

A 16-year-old Northern California girl who went missing along with her wrestling coach was found safe Thursday, San Joaquin County Sheriff said.

The girl and the 25-year-old coach, Phillip Maglaya, went missing Aug. 22 and were found in a home in Stockton, California. The girl, who was physically unharmed when found, was taken to her parents, and Maglaya, who authorities said was involved in a “romantic relationship” with the teenager, was arrested.

According to reports, Maglaya was booked into San Joaquin County Jail, where he was charged with multiple crimes including child abduction, child endangerment, harmful matter sent to a child with the intent to seduce, contact with a minor for a sex offense, contributing to the delinquency of a minor and additional felony sex offenses involving a minor.

The girl’s parents spoke about the incident to ABC News a day prior to when she was found.

"This is a father's worst nightmare," the girl's father, Ron Arther, said. "I feel so helpless."

"We trusted him," the girl's mother, Iris Arther, said about the coach.

Deputy Dave Konecny was beside the girl’s father as he spoke on a national TV program, reported FOX40 News.

"I became tearful through the interview," Konecny said. "It took me home as a father and while I watched this family try to keep it together, it was hard for me to keep it together. And everybody in that room became tearful."

The suspect is scheduled to appear in court on Friday, and his bail was set at $2.7 million.

The girl, a junior at Franklin High School, was reported missing Aug. 22, after which her parents found a note she left behind on the same day.

"The first page says, 'I love you Mom and Dad, very much, nothing that you guys did was your fault,'" Iris said.

The father said, soon after, he went through his daughter’s phone log and found numerous calls between the coach and the girl on her call log, and proceeded to call Maglaya.

Ron asked the coach if he had seen the teen to which Maglaya said he talked to her the day before and had discussed dieting, nutrition and workout programs.

"On the day that she left she sent us an email at like 4:54 a.m., saying, 'I'm safe, please don't worry, I love you guys I'll keep in touch,'" Ron said. "I feel so helpless."

He also received a text from his daughter Tuesday which read, "Don't worry about me I'm safe I'm at a friend's house. I'll talk to you guys again soon I love you, Mom and Dad."

The Stockton Unified School District acknowledged the coach and the teen were involved in a “relationship” in a statement, though it remains unclear when it began. Maglaya was working as an unpaid volunteer wrestling coach at Franklin High School in Stockton where the teen was studying at. According to the school, he "did pass background checks."

"He had advised the school he would not be returning this year," the school said, reported ABC News.