Convicted sex offender arrested after being found with missing 12-year-old girl: authorities

INDEPENDENCE, Ky. (WXIX/Gray News) - Kentucky authorities say a convicted sex offender was arrested after being found with a missing 12-year-old girl.

Deandre Byrdsong was taken into custody in the Independence area on Monday. Authorities said he was found sleeping in a car with the girl at a Shell gas station.

“I’m sure it’s alarming for this little girl’s family to have the good news that she was found, but the bad news that she was with a convicted sex offender,” Kenton County Commonwealth’s Attorney Rob Sanders said.

Sanders said Independence police were conducting patrols when they noticed a car parked inside the car wash bay.

“They found two men with a 12-year-old girl. One of those men, Deandre Byrdsong, turns out to be a convicted sex offender,” Sanders said.

Investigators found the girl was missing from Columbus, where Byrdsong was previously convicted of unlawful conduct with a 15-year-old minor.

Police noted that Byrdsong was found this week more than 100 miles from his registered address.

“Mr. Byrdsong engaged in a sexual relationship with the child. He’s facing charges of second-degree rape and failure to comply with the sex offender registry,” Sanders said.

Byrdsong could face five to 10 years in prison for each charge.

Sanders said the third person found with Byrdsong and the child is not facing charges and is considered a witness.

The police report stated the man heard Byrdsong having sexual contact with the child.

“We believe Mr. Byrdsong knew she was a 12-year-old child, and was actively trying to conceal the fact that this was a child he was with,” Sanders said.

Byrdsong had been registered as living in Columbus, but police said he has since been homeless and not living at his address for several months.

Police said he told them he had been staying at a warming shelter and in a tent in Kenton County.

According to investigators, the 12-year-old girl had identification on her.

Sanders urged anyone who may have seen Byrdsong and the child around Kenton County to contact the Independence Police Department at 859-356-2697.