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Abducted At The Airport: 12-Year-Old Girl Believed To Be In 'Extreme Danger'

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ARLINGTON, Va. (CBSMiami) – An urgent search continues in Washington, DC after an Amber Alert was issued for a 12-year-old girl who was abducted from a Washington-area airport, according to Virginia State Police.

Jin-Jing Ma Amber Alert Girl
Jin-Jing Ma (Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority)

The Virginia State Police said JinJing Ma was last seen leaving Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport with an unknown woman Thursday. Police issued an Amber Alert warning that JinJing is "believed to be in extreme danger."

Police said JinJing was with a tour group getting ready to depart for the West Coast after sightseeing in Washington and New York. Before going through security, police said the girl told her group she needed to use the restroom. Apparently, it wasn't until the group started going through security that they noticed Ma was missing.

Police held a Friday morning news conference and released more information.

"We have determined JinJing was approached by couple in New York City while the tour group was sightseeing. We're in the process of trying to determine the identity of these individuals, but it does appear that they are connected to the incident here at DCA," Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority police Chief David Huchler said.

jinjing-ma-abduction
Police say this surveillance photo shows JinJing Ma moments after she was abducted at about 8:15 a.m. on Thursday. Investigators say Ma is on the right and her abductor on the left. (Photo credit: Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority)

"She is believed to have left the airport with an unknown middle-aged Asian female," Huchler said, adding, "That Asian female is described as 5'2" to 5'5", weighing 130 pounds."

Huchler said the abductor helped the girl change clothes before the pair exited the airport's Terminal C through the arrivals level. That's when they got into a white Infiniti SUV with New York license plates before driving off.  "We do believe that there is a male subject driving the vehicle that the child left in," Huchler said.

Shortly before she disappeared, police said another surveillance photo shows JinJing's abductor arriving at the airport with a male suspect. Huchler suggests the girl may have gone with her abductor willingly.

"The child appears to have left without any force. She entered the vehicle without any force, but that does not release any of our concerns," Huchler said.

Investigators said a witness told them he may have seen JinJing's abductor meet up with her in New York City and hand her food. The FBI, Virginia state police, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children are also investigating. Police said they're working to contact Jin-Jing's  guardians in China.

They urge anyone with information to contact MWAA Police at 703-417-2400 or Virginia State Police at 800-822-4453.

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