Reno girl found in Indiana with in-law going home

A Reno teenager was returning home with her family Tuesday after she sparked a five-day search by abruptly leaving for Indiana with her brother-in-law, Reno police said.

Karamjit Kaur, 16, said she voluntarily left Reno last week with 29-year-old Parvinder Singh, a convenience store owner from Merrillville, Ind., said Reno police Lt. Mike Whan.

"There was no force — this was something they had planned out," Whan said.

The two were found Monday in a Merrillville hotel room, and Kaur's parents flew to Indiana that day to reunite with her, Whan said.

It was not immediately clear whether Singh had a sexual relationship with the girl, who is his pregnant wife's sister, Whan said.

He said Kaur told investigators in Indiana that "she didn't want to go home and that she wanted to be there," Whan said.

Whan said Reno police planned to question her when she returns to Nevada.

Singh has not been arrested or charged with any crimes, though authorities are considering federal and state charges.

FBI Special Agent Joseph Dickey said agents in Indiana were reviewing the circumstances of Kaur's disappearance to see if charges are warranted.

Nevada's age of consent is 16, though federal laws for transporting a minor across state lines for the purpose of sex apply to children 18 and younger.

"They're sifting through the facts to try to determine if anything can be filed," Dickey said.

Whan said Singh's wife had been staying in Reno with her parents and her sister because of her pregnancy, and Singh periodically visited the family from Indiana.

The girl's father dropped Singh off at the airport to end a three-week visit, but Singh rented a car instead of getting on a plane, Whan said.

Whan said Singh visited the teen at her high school for the next few days until she disappeared. He said investigators got a break in finding her when students and staff said an older man described as Singh was visiting her.

The teen disappeared Sept. 30 after leaving her home on a bicycle with no other possessions. The bike was later found by three children.