Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for Wired, Marin County Sheriff’s Office, and Andrew Toth/Getty Images for Vanity Fair were all involved in the copyright issues related to the content.
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- Mint Butterfield, 16, was discovered after going missing for six days.
- Butterfield was found in a van belonging to 26-year-old Christopher Dizefal.
- Butterfield’s parents cofounded Flickr, and their father later cofounded Slack.
A 26-year-old man is facing charges after he was found with the child of two tech moguls in the back of his van.
Mint Butterfield, a 16-year-old teenager, was missing for a duration of six days before being located by the police in San Francisco on Saturday.
Butterfield, who prefers they/them pronouns, comes from a family of tech entrepreneurs. Their parents, Caterina Fake and Stewart Butterfield, were the co-founders of Flickr in 2004, and Stewart Butterfield went on to co-found Slack.
An extensive search effort was initiated in Tenderloin, a neighborhood in San Francisco known for its high levels of homelessness, crime, and drug-related activities, in order to locate them.
The police had issued a warning, expressing concerns about the teenager’s safety due to a previous suicide threat. Moreover, they categorized Butterfield as a voluntary missing individual, indicating that it seemed as if they had run away from home.
Butterfield was discovered safe in San Francisco on Saturday. He was found in the back of a white van owned by Christopher “Kio” Dizefalo, as stated in a press release by the Marin County Sheriff’s Office.
According to the press release, Dizefalo, who was referred to as an “adult friend” of Butterfield’s, has been apprehended for involvement in “multiple criminal violations.” Following his arrest, he was taken into custody at Marin County Jail, and his bail was set at $50,000.
Dizefalo has been arrested on several charges, including “Contributing to the delinquency of a minor,” “unlawful sexual intercourse,” and “child stealing,” as confirmed by Adam Schermerhorn, a representative for Marin County Sheriff’s Office, in an email statement to Business Insider.
According to Schermerhorn, all charges are connected to Butterfield’s disappearance. The police have expressed their belief that Butterfield left home willingly.
In an interview with The San Francisco Standard, Schermerhorn expressed his belief that there was no foul play involved in the alleged kidnapping or any other suspicious activities, contrary to what some individuals were speculating.
Dizefalo is not listed with a lawyer.
Butterfield’s parents and stepdad, Jyri Engeström, expressed their gratitude to the “family, friends, volunteers, and strangers who called in tips and contributed to this successful recovery,” as stated in a joint press statement.
“We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the experienced law enforcement officers who possess a deep understanding of the genuine danger posed by predators who exploit the temptation of drugs to manipulate teenagers,” they expressed their gratitude.
According to the New York Post, Stewart Butterfield and Caterina Fake were married from 2001 until 2007.
They co-founded Flickr together in 2004 and subsequently sold the company to Yahoo in 2005 for approximately $30 million, as reported by the outlet.
Stewart Butterfield co-founded Slack with Cal Henderson in 2013. However, in December 2022, he decided to depart from the company.
According to Forbes, his estimated net worth stands at $1.6 billion.
