CEDAR SPRINGS, Mich. — After a nearly two-month search, 17-year-old Penelope “Penny” Wise of Cedar Springs has been found safe, according to the Kent County Sheriff's Office.
“We received a phone call from the lead detective stating that Penny had been found and that she was okay,” said Mishael Wise, Penny's mother.
KCSO said Penny was found on Sunday morning around 11 a.m.
“It's surreal knowing that she's been found,” Mishael said. "We still haven't been able to lay eyes on her, so I think once we're able to actually see her it will sink in even more. We are very relieved that she's been found.”
KCSO said during their initial investigation, they learned Penny had been living with an older man in a home in the City of Rockford.
Less than two weeks ago in Rockford, an extensive search for Penny was carried out by the FBI and Kent County Sheriff’s Office using search dogs and drones.
Deputies said on Sunday, Penny had left the older man's home on a bicycle when she was seen by a community member who called the police.
According to KCSO undersheriff Bryan Muir, someone matching Penny's description was seen on the White Pine Trail near Northland Drive in Northland Court.
After the Rockford Department of Public Safety was dispatched to the area, they were able to identify the teen as Penny.
“There’s no connection that we know of right now between Penny and the gentleman that she was staying with, it was someone that was unknown to us in our investigation,” Muir said. "Her family didn't know about this individual and neither did we.”
After being missing for nearly two months, Penny’s father David Wise said the family is still processing the difficult weeks of not knowing where she was.
“It’s still so fresh at this point that we haven't even really been able to come to grips with this is actually happening in a good way,” David Wise said. We've had months and months of this happening to us, but now all of a sudden, she's been found and it still has a little bit to sink in on its own yet.”
Mishael and David said when Penny’s six siblings learned their sister was safe, the room was consumed by excitement and relief.
Now, they say they’re counting their blessings and thanking those who helped them through the difficult times.
“We are so thankful for the community support, for the statewide, nationwide, worldwide support, it's been shared all over the world in various locations and we're so thankful for everyone coming together to help find her,” Wise said.
KCSO said Penny is in their custody as the investigation continues.