Mint Butterfield, the missing child of Slack’s co-founder, was found in San Francisco Saturday night with an adult man a decade older who is now facing kidnapping charges. The 16-year-old, who is nonbinary and uses they/them pronouns, disappeared from their Bolinas home last week and was found alongside Christopher “Kio” Dizefalo, 26.
Dizefalo, described as an “adult friend,” was arrested and booked on suspicion of child abduction and other violations. Mint was found inside Dizefalo’s white van in the city’s Tenderloin District neighborhood, but thankfully, the teen was uninjured.
Mint, who was deemed “at-risk” due to previous threats of suicide, told detectives that they voluntarily ran away from home. Mint’s parents, Stewart Butterfield and Caterina Fake, expressed gratitude to investigators for bringing their child home and thanked everyone who helped in the recovery.
Authorities believe Dizefalo may have coerced Mint to run away. The teen had left a note indicating their intention to run away before being found with Dizefalo. Mint has since been reunited with their family.
The incident has shed light on the dangers faced by teenagers and the importance of vigilance in protecting them from predators. The community has come together to support Mint and their family during this challenging time.