The mother of Jashyah Moore, the 14-year-old New Jersey girl who ran away from home and was found safe Thursday after a monthlong search, has been arrested and charged with child endangerment.
Jamie A. Moore, 39, of East Orange, faces two counts of second-degree endangering the welfare of a child, which include "allegations of physical abuse and also neglect," according to a statement Friday from the Essex County Prosecutor's Office in New Jersey.
Moore's teen daughter and 3-year-old son have been removed from her custody by the state Division of Child Protection and Permanency, officials said.
Stephens had previously said that the child protection agency did not have an open case for the family when Jashyah, who did not appear to be registered in school, went missing in October.
She had last been seen at a deli on Oct. 14 in East Orange,
Jashyah spent the past month in locations throughout New Jersey and New York City and was recently staying at a shelter in Brooklyn, according to Theodore N. Stephens II, acting Essex County prosecutor.
"The young lady appears to have run away," he said. "And she did not want to make herself known to anyone as to where she was. She seemed to be ... more so at ease where she was."
East Orange Police Chief Phyllis Bindi said Friday during the media briefing that her department and the community were elated Jashyah was found safe.
"This is a perfect example for the potential to have positive outcomes when we come together and work as a whole community," Bindi said.
Authorities on Thursday announced Jashyah was safe, but provided no other details.
East Orange police, New Jersey state police and the FBI have been among the agencies involved in the search for her.
People in the community conducted searches as well, and her mother pleaded for any information to find the teen.
A reward of up to $20,000 was offered in the search.
Stephens on Wednesday said that more than 50 members of law enforcement were in East Orange and Orange retracing the teen's known steps and following up on leads in the search.
East Orange is a city of almost 70,000 in the New York City region, around 10 miles west of Manhattan.
“The family and our community is grateful she is safe and alive,” a family spokesperson said in a statement. “We are thankful to everybody who put in the work to help find her.”
