The FBI announces a $15,000 reward to help find a missing 14-year-old girl

(NEW SWEDEN, Maine) – Authorities are asking the public for help finding a Maine teenager who has been missing for months.

The FBI is offering a reward of up to $15,000 for information leading to Stefanie Damron’s safe return or the arrest and prosecution of anyone involved in her disappearance, FBI Boston Assistant Special Agent in Charge Kimberly Milka said on Monday at a press conference.

“Any detail, no matter how small, could be helpful,” she said.

According to Maine State Police, Stefanie was last seen on September 23, 2024, leaving her home and walking into the woods behind her home. The next day she was reported missing.

Stefanie was 13 years old at the time of her disappearance; she is now 14.

Her family is desperately looking for answers, Milka said. They live in New Sweden in northern Maine, about 20 miles from the Canadian border.

According to police, Stefanie had run away in the past.

“This behavior was not unusual for Stefanie, which is why I think the family waited a little bit” before calling police, Major Scott Gosselin of the Maine State Police said at the news conference.

But “since she didn’t show up, we slowly increased all investigative resources,” he said.

Police spent hundreds of hours investigating, including a neighborhood search and a video search, but there were no credible sightings, Gosselin said.

Stefanie, who was home-schooled, did not take electronic devices with her and had no apparent history of mental health problems, police said.

Anyone with information is urged to call Maine State Police at 1-800-824-2261 or 207-532-5400 or the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.

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