Billionaire Tech CEO’s Child, Mint Butterfield, Rescued and Suspect in Custody – National News

The 16-year-old child of Slack’s billionaire co-founder Stewart Butterfield, Mint Butterfield, was found alive in San Francisco over the weekend after being reported missing for almost a week. The teenager was discovered in the city’s Tenderloin district late Saturday evening in a white van with 26-year-old Christopher “Kio” Dizefalo, described as an “adult friend” by the Marin County Sheriff’s Office.

Dizefalo has been charged with suspicion of abducting Mint, who uses they/them pronouns. Mint’s parents, Stewart Butterfield, Flickr co-founder Caterina Fake, and stepdad Jyri Engeström, expressed their gratitude to the police for bringing their child home safely. They also thanked the community for their support during the search.

According to reports, Dizefalo is suspected of coaxing Mint into leaving home six days prior to being found. Mint was described as a “voluntary missing person” in a previous press release issued by the Marin County Sheriff’s Office.

Dizefalo was arrested on suspicion of child abduction, unlawful sexual intercourse, and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. He is currently in custody at Marin County Jail with bail set at $50,000. A representative for the Sheriff’s Office stated that they do not believe foul play was involved in Mint’s disappearance.

The family’s email expressed gratitude to everyone who assisted in the search and emphasized the importance of understanding the dangers of predators who target teenagers. The community is relieved that Mint has been found safe and reunited with their family.