Two girls missing since Sunday night found safely

Teens aged 13 and 16 suffer from fetal alcohol spectrum disorder; ran away from adoptive parents during conference

By ToI Staff 22 December 2014, 1:27 pm

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Amalya Melamed (left) and Mickey Zax (Courtesy Israel Police)

The two girls who went missing Sunday night from a hotel in Ashkelon were found safe and unharmed in Tel Aviv on Monday afternoon.

Amalya Melamed (13) and Mickey Zax (16) had been missing since 10 p.m. Sunday evening after disappearing from the Holiday Inn hotel in the coastal city, where they were taking part in a conference for parents who adopted special-needs children. Both girls suffer from fetal alcohol spectrum disorder.

Israel Police announced on Twitter shortly after 2 p.m. on Monday that the girls were found in Tel Aviv.

Officers from Ashkelon Police and Lakhish District Police were deployed in large forces to look for the two missing girls. A helicopter assisted the search, police said.

Melamed, 13, is the adopted daughter of veteran Ynet columnist Arianna Melamed. “She has never left the house alone at night. She does not travel by bus, has no cellphone and as far as I know no money. She was never left alone for more than five minutes. Like her friend, Amalya is defined as a child at risk. Both girls are adopted. … Whoever can help us, I’m really worried,” Arianna Melamed posted on her Facebook profile late Sunday night.