Thursday morning, at approximately 2:00 a.m., deputies from the Newaygo County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at a residence located in the 1200 block of North Bingham Avenue in Lilley Township. The operation was conducted as part of an ongoing effort to locate a missing juvenile from Oakland County.

The juvenile, identified as Jeanella Nicholas, had been reported missing on Nov. 10, 2025, after she failed to return home from school in Rochester Hills. Acting on information suggesting she may have been in the Newaygo County area, deputies located the suspect vehicle and obtained a search warrant for the associated residence.

"During the execution of the warrant, deputies safely recovered Jeanella," Sheriff Bob Mendham said in a Facebook post. "She was interviewed and subsequently turned over to authorities from Oakland County for further care and coordination."

A 51-year-old man from the Bitely area was also located at the residence and taken into custody. Following the investigation, he was lodged at the Newaygo County Jail on charges including harboring a runaway, manufacturing child pornography, and multiple firearm-related offenses.

The Newaygo County Sheriff’s Office extends its gratitude to the community members who provided valuable information throughout the investigation.

_{Release courtesy of the Newaygo County Sheriff's Office.}