Missing girls ages 12 and 13 found 150 miles away with man from dating app, TN cops say

A man met a 13-year-old girl on a dating app, then “confined” her and another girl at his home 150 miles away, Tennessee authorities said.

Police reported finding the missing teen and 12-year-old at the Nashville home of 21-year-old Isaac Schellsmidt.

McClatchy News reached out to Schellsmidt’s attorney Jan. 21 and did not immediately receive a response.

Schellsmidt met a 13-year-old girl from the Chattanooga area on an online dating application and began communicating with her Jan. 18, according to an arrest affidavit filed in Davidson County.

Early the next morning, the 13-year-old and 12-year-old left home and met up with Schellsmidt, who’s then accused of driving them back to his own home, the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department said.

The girls’ parents reported them missing and law enforcement traced them to Nashville, where they found the girls with two adult men, according to the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office.

The girls told law enforcement Schellsmidt had “confined” them at his home, and the 13-year-old said Schellsmidt engaged in sex acts with her one time, police said.

Schellsmidt said the girl told him “she would do anything to stay at his residence” and acknowledged engaging in sex acts with her once in his bed, according to the affidavit.

Police said Schellsmidt told officers he knew the girls’ parents were searching for them.

Records show Schellsmidt was charged with statutory rape, especially aggravated kidnapping, solicitation of a minor and two counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

This story was originally published January 21, 2025 at 5:23 PM with the headline "Missing girls ages 12 and 13 found 150 miles away with man from dating app, TN cops say."