A 16-year-old pregnant girl in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, is missing, and authorities believe she is with a 40-year-old man suspected of being the father of her unborn child. The Beaver Dam Police issued an Amber Alert after Sophia Martha Franklin, 16, was last seen at her home at 9 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 2. Police say she is now believed to be traveling with Gary F. Day, 40, who was spotted at her home on Monday, Feb. 3 at 7:48 p.m.
Sophia, three months pregnant, is described as a 5’9” White teen with brown hair and blue eyes. Day, a 5’7” White man with blonde hair and green eyes, is identified as the father of her baby, and a no-contact order is in place between them. Authorities believe the pair are traveling in a Black Buick LaCrosse; initially reported with an Arkansas license plate, the vehicle was later seen in Wisconsin with a Pennsylvania plate.
Online court records show that Day faces felony charges including two counts of child abduction and two counts of child enticement-causing mental, bodily, or harm, with an arrest warrant issued on Tuesday, Feb. 4.
According to court filings, Sophia and Day started talking online in April 2024. Day reportedly traveled to Wisconsin to meet Sophia and later took her to Arkansas. Although she returned to Wisconsin last year, recent online conversations suggest they are still in contact. The Lonoke County Sheriff’s Office in Arkansas now has reason to believe the pair may be heading to Austin, Ark., where Day has known ties and is already under investigation for crimes against children.
Beaver Dam Police Chief John Kreuziger urged anyone with tips to come forward to help bring Sophia home safely.
