A 14-year-old Kansas girl is in protective custody in Cortez Friday morning after she was reported missing Tuesday from her home in Topeka.

Cortez police arrested a man named Michael Fitzgerald on Friday in connection with the young girl. He is in custody at Montezuma County Detention Center.

Police Chief Roy Lane said Friday morning that local law enforcement acted on information from the Topeka Police Department. He said the girl has been turned over to Montezuma County Social Services and Fitzgerald is being detained based on information from Topeka.

Lane said there may be a pending search warrant for a motel room and a car.

Topeka TV news station WIBW has reported that the girl ran away from home and not been seen since late Tuesday night. A Topeka Police Department lieutenant told WIBW that she was not abducted and left home on her own accord.

sdolan@the-journal.com