ST. PETERS, Mo. (KMOX) – Police have found the 16 year-old St. Charles girl believed to have run away with a 27 year-old convicted sex offender.

St. Peters police have confirmed to KMOX that Molly Linhardt is safe.  She was found shortly after midnight Wednesday in Monroe County.

The man Molly was believed to have been with, Benjamin Kinkade, is not currently in custody. He was arrested without incident by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department and then released.  He has not been charged.

A family member of Benjamin Kinkade called the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department and turned the two in.

Benjamin Kinkade

Authorities say Molly had no visible injuries, and she was brought back home by her family.

Molly was reported missing January 14th by her parents.  She was last seen leaving the Kentucky Fried Chicken on Jungermann Road where she worked.

According to police the search was hampered due to the fact that Molly did not have a cell phone and Kinkade did not have his turned on. St. Peters police had consider her an “endangered missing juvenile.”