PALMER TOWNSHIP, Pa. — When 14-year-old Enci “Aubrey” Wu went missing from her Palmer Township home in January, authorities launched a multi-agency search that spanned several states.

But it was AI software in the hands of suspicious citizens that ultimately led to her safe recovery in Georgia, highlighting how digital tools are transforming missing person investigations.

Wu, who had been missing since January 10th, 2025, was located in Jasper, Georgia, on April 14th, according to Northampton District Attorney Stephen Baratta.

The breakthrough in the case came when Walton County, Georgia, residents Mitch and Bree used reverse image search technology to identify Wu after a brief encounter with her left them suspicious. Their concern stemmed from her very sudden closeness with the couple’s close friend, Hunter, who had started flooding his TikTok with videos of himself and Aubrey — behavior Mitch insisted was completely out of character.

Wu had significantly altered her appearance by dyeing her hair blonde and changing its length.

In a recent conversation between Jasper, GA News and the couple who discovered Aubrey as a missing person, Bree claimed she used PimEyes.com, a facial recognition search engine, to compare screenshots from Aubrey’s unearthed TikTok account against a database of online images.

The search returned Wu’s missing person poster, which she plugged into Google’s reverse image search. The results confirmed her identity as a teenager reported missing from Palmer Township in Easton.

This case isn’t the first time such technology has played a pivotal role in locating missing individuals.

In 2020, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) used Amazon’s Rekognition facial recognition technology to help find a 15-year-old girl who had been missing for over a year.

Very similarly, the AI software matched a photo of Aubrey that appeared on social media with her missing person image, despite changes in her appearance, ultimately leading authorities to her location.

NCMEC reported in 2022 that since its founding, it had assisted in recovering over 365,000 missing children, with facial recognition technology playing an increasingly important role in resolving cases.

Wu’s case exemplifies how artificial intelligence and digital technology revolutionize how authorities and civilians locate missing persons.

Beyond reverse image search, several AI-powered tools are proving crucial in similar cases, such as:

  • AI-driven data analysis that can process tips and information more efficiently than traditional methods
  • Age-progression software that creates updated images of long-term missing persons

While AI technologies have proven valuable in cases like Wu’s, they also raise significant concerns about privacy, surveillance, and potential misuse.

The rapid advancement of these tools has outpaced regulatory frameworks, creating a complex digital landscape where almost anyone with an internet connection can access powerful software.

Bad actors can exploit these technologies for stalking, harassment, or even creating convincing deepfakes, while governments, corporations, and individuals alike may deploy them for inappropriate surveillance.

AI is proving to be a double-edged sword. It can reunite families while presenting risks that current laws and ethical guidelines struggle to address effectively.

Despite rapid technological advances, human intervention remains critical. When they initially identified Wu, Mitch communicated directly with her parents during a Facebook livestream, providing five photos that helped confirm their daughter’s identity.

Wu is currently under the care of Georgia Child Protective Services and will be transferred to Pennsylvania authorities through the Interstate Compact for Juveniles before eventually being placed with Northampton County Children and Youth Services.

Officials emphasized that investigations are ongoing, including looking into allegations made on social media regarding concerns about Wu’s relationships during her time away from home.