Kidnapped Amish Girls Showed Up Cold, Hungry on Stranger’s Doorstep

iStock/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) — The two Amish girls who were abducted from their family’s roadside vegetable stand showed up days later on the doorstep of Jeff and Pam Stinson barefoot, cold, wet and hungry Thursday night, the Stinson’s family friend told ABC News Friday.

The Stinsons opened their door to the two girls, Delila Miller, 6, and Fannie Miller, 12, who asked the couple to drive them back home. The Stinsons said they recognized the girls because they had bought produce from them before and were aware of news reports about their abduction.

According to police, the sisters were abducted Wednesday night in Oswegatchie, New York, a rural town located near the Canadian border, when they went out to sell vegetables to a car at the stand. They were then dropped off later near the Stinson’s house, authorities said.

Police are still searching for a suspect or suspects. Authorities held a news conference Friday about the abduction but refused to give details about the incident other than to say that they are still investigating and the Miller girls appeared to be healthy.

When the girls arrived on their doorstep, the Stinsons fed them watermelon and grape juice and the girls were so hungry they couldn’t stop eating the watermelon, the Stinson’s family friend said.

Jeff Stinson knew exactly where the two girls lived because he had bought corn from the elder girl before at their vegetable stand.

At one point on the return home, the girls ducked in the back seat because they saw the kidnapper’s red car pulled over by the side of the road, the friend said.

An Amber Alert had been issued Wednesday night after a witness reported seeing a vehicle pull up to the stand, the girls go out to wait on them, and then the driver of the car put something in the backseat. When the car drove away, the witness told police the children were gone.

The sisters were dropped off in the town of Richville, about 36 miles from where they were abducted, District Attorney Mary Rain said. The girls walked to the closest home and the man who opened the door, Jeff Stinson, immediately knew who the girls were because of news reports.

“The girls walked up to a stranger’s house, thank goodness they had enough courage to do that, knocked on the door, and that person took them home,” Rain said.

The two young girls have been reunited with their family. They “seem to be healthy,” but were “cold and wet,” Rain told ABC News, adding that they are being interviewed by authorities.

Rain said the sisters were still wearing Amish attire when they were found. She also said that more than one person may have been involved in the girls’ abduction.

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