Billionaire Teen Heir Mint Butterfield Found Alive in Back of Van After Kidnapping
Billionaire teen heir Mint Butterfield was found alive in the back of a van in San Francisco after a kidnapping on the evening of April 27.
Mint – who uses they/them pronouns – had been gone for nearly an entire week before they were found.
Now, the Marin County Sheriff's Office has reported Mint to be safe at home with their family, per a post on Instagram.
They are the 16-year-old child of Slack co-founder Stewart Butterfield and Flickr co-founder Caterina Fake.
Mint's parents are worth billions combined, with their father's worth alone being around $1.6 billion, per People.
According to People, the family – including Mint's stepdad Jyri Engestrom, another tech developer – released a statement after the teen was found safe.
"A heartfelt thanks to all the family, friends, volunteers and strangers who called in tips and made this recovery possible. We especially want to thank the seasoned law enforcement officers who understand the very real threat of predators who use the allure of drugs to groom teenagers," the family said.
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The outlet reported that Mint was discovered missing when Fake found a note on the morning of April 22.
Mint was last seen on April 21 around 10PM in Bolinas, Calif., and was considered a "voluntary-missing juvenile" who was "at risk" due to a "reported previous threat of suicide," according to a police statement at the time.
Mint's mother believed they left home and traveled to the infamous Tenderloin District of San Francisco.
The New York Post reported that a 26-year-old parking valet named Christopher “Kio” Dizefalo has also been arrested in connection with the case.
Dizefalo has been charged with unlawful sex with a minor, child stealing, and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
Mint was found in the back of Dizefalo's van by police who described the connection between Dizefalo and Mint as "some sort of a quasi-dating relationship."
Dizefalo is now being held in jail with a $50,000 bond.
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Gallery Credit: Claire Epting