18-year-old travels from Chicago with gifts, flowers to meet 11-year-old MN girl: police

BIG LAKE, Minn. (FOX 9) - Big Lake police are warning parents to monitor their children’s cell phone activity after they say an 18-year-old man took a Greyhound bus from Chicago to Big Lake, equipped with gifts and flowers to meet an 11-year-old girl.

According to the Big Lake Police Department, over the weekend officers responded to a report of a suspicious man/unwanted party at a residence. 

Through an investigation, authorities learned the 18-year-old man showed up at the residence with flowers and gifts for the homeowner's 11-year-old daughter. She had been communicating for more than a year with the 18-year-old via the Snapchat app – pretending to be 17 years old.

The 11-year-old had never given the man her address, but he was able to locate her home using the location feature on the app.

No charges have been filed, since at no time did the girl tell the man she was 11 years old.

"This is a prime example of why it is so important to pay attention to your child’s cellular devices," the department said in a Facebook post. "Thankfully everyone is OK, and the heartbroken male is headed back to Chicago on another greyhound bus."