Runaway Winter Garden teen found safe

WINTER GARDEN — A 16-year-old girl whose disappearance last week sparked a six-plus-hour overnight standoff between a Winter Garden man and the Winter Garden Police Department has been found safe.

According to Lt. Scott Allen, the girl was recovered Oct. 10 and returned to her family. Investigators still are looking into the incident to determine if more charges will follow, he said.

Investigators believed the girl had a connection with Michael Todd Hankins, 38, of Winter Garden. After receiving an anonymous call regarding Hankins’ whereabouts, investigators attempted to serve a warrant for interference with custody at about 7:12 p.m., Oct. 8, at Hankins’ residence, in the Tucker Oak Condos, on Scarlet Oak Loop.

According to police reports, the officer knocked on the door several times, but no one answered. As the officer was leaving, Hankins’ roommate pulled up to the residence in a vehicle. The roommate stated he was certain Hankins was in the residence and that he owned at least two firearms.

The roommate unlocked the door to the residence and gave police permission to enter. The officer entered and cleared the bottom floor. He was on his way upstairs, but his sergeant ordered him out of the residence, because he believed Hankins had locked himself in one of the bedrooms.

Winter Garden police requested assistance from the Central Florida Metro SWAT team members, which used tear gas and entered the house at about 2 a.m. Hankins was found hiding in a closet. 

The girl was not in the house.

Following his arrest, Hankins remained uncooperative.

“During the interview of Michael Hankins in reference to the runaway juvenile, he was uncooperative and did not provide any information that would assist with our investigation,” Allen said.

Contact Michael Eng at [email protected].