Mother Of Mar Vista Teen Who Went Missing For Weeks Describes Call Daughter Placed

DEL REY (CBSLA.com) — A woman who says her 15-year-old daughter with autism was held captive for weeks says she's angry, but knows the outcome could have been much worse.

The teen went missing March 24 from her home in the 11200 block of Westminster Avenue in Mar Vista.

After her disappearance, fliers were put up in Mar Vista and Culver City. For weeks, the girl's mother named Janice says she was in agony over her daughter's disappearance.

Then, she got a phone call while at work Monday.

"She called. The phone call was less than a minute. She was like, 'Mommy, help me. Mommy, help me,' in a whisper so I could barely hear her, and then the phone went dead," she said.

Janice noticed a number through caller ID on her phone and immediately called detectives, who had police match the number to a home in Culver City, where the girl was found.

Police said Samuel Duran, 33, resides at the home. He was arrested on suspicion of multiple counts of rape and other charges. Duran was being held in lieu of $8 million bail.

Neighbors said a registered sex offender also lives at the home.

Janice says her daughter was held captive for weeks, but thankfully she was able to break away and call her.

She says she's upset with police and claims they didn't do enough to find her daughter. The LAPD, however, has said each case is handled based on the information provided.

"A lot of things happened to my daughter I have no control over, but we move forward," she said.