A teenager abducted from her suburban Atlanta home by armed men who snatched her during a home invasion has been found alive, more than 24 hours after she went missing, police said on Wednesday
"Under the circumstances she appears to be in good health," said Lieutenant Mark Richards, Clayton County police department spokesman.
He would not comment on whether the abductors had been detained.
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Two armed men initially demanded money and jewelry after breaking into the Ellenwood home of 14-year-old Ayvani Hope Perez, before dragging her away, according to police.
But when the girl's mother said she had nothing to give them, they kidnapped her daughter instead, pulling her out of a closet where she had been hiding with an older sibling, the police said.
The men also shot dead the family's dog, a small poodle.
Police spokeswoman Charlene Watson-Fraser earlier denied reports that Perez's parents had received a demand for a $10,000 ransom to win the girl's release.
Family members could not be reached for immediate comment but a press conference was due to be held by police to discuss developments in the case.
Friends and classmates had held a candlelight vigil for Perez on Tuesday night, praying for her safe return.
The FBI and Georgia Bureau of Investigation had assisted in the search for the girl, police said.
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