Georgia teenager safe

Sunday, February 6, 2005

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A Georgia teenager is safe tonight thanks to an Amber alert that got attention in central Florida.

The alert was issued Friday, and on Saturday tips from passersby in Kissimmee led to the arrest of the suspect. The girl was found unharmed with the suspect at a store near the Polk County line.

The search for the 14-year-old girl ended in the parking lot of a Wal-Mart in Kissimmee. A passerby recognized the vehicle described in the Amber alert and notified police.

Officer Ralph Herrera with the Kissimmee Police Department said officers staked out the Wal-Mart until 39-year-old Michael Hightower and the girl walked out of the store.

"They were simply walking back to the car, and upon walking back to the car they were intercepted by officers," Herrera said. "He simply put his hands up, his head down. He knew it was over and he gave himself up without incident."

While this story ended peacefully, it didn't start that way.

Melanie Hoffman, a spokesperson for the Macon Police Department, described how Hightower kidnapped the girl from her home.

"He was armed with a handgun when he forced his way into the house and he hit the 80-year-old grandfather over the head with a gun and took his wallet, keys to his car and some money," Hoffman said. "Then he took his car, the one on the Amber alert."

Hightower faces charges in Georgia of kidnapping, aggravated assault on a person over the age of 60, theft by taking auto and armed robbery.

The girl's family is driving down from Georgia to pick her up and take her home. Meanwhile, her alleged abductor is in Osceola County Jail awaiting extradition back to Georgia.

Macon police expect Hightower to return to Georgia later this week to face charges.

Investigators have not released a motive for the kidnapping, theft and robbery. But Hightower is said to be married to the girl's biological mother and her mother filed for divorce from Hightower last week.