Runaway teen seeking safety in New York court ordered to return to Oregon
Penny Lyles ran away from Clatsop County, Oregon, in November and fled to Warwick with her boyfriend, 18-year-old Jonathan Stockle, who has family in Orange County.
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A 15-year-old Oregon girl who fled to Warwick in search of safety from her father’s alleged abuse has now been court-ordered to return home to the state of Oregon and her father's custody, according to a court document obtained by News 12.
As News 12 has reported, Penny Lyles ran away from Clatsop County, Oregon, in November and fled to Warwick with her boyfriend, 18-year-old Jonathan Stockle, who has family in Orange County.
News 12 was given a copy of the court document by Penny's father, Ryan Lyles, and the Stockle family.
The young couple alleged Penny Lyles was being physically abused by her dad, but authorities in both states never confirmed that. The teens told News 12 in an exclusive interview last month that they fled Oregon after officials there failed to investigate their concerns.
A change.org petition to “secure justice” for Penny Lyles says she’s been held in Woodfield Cottage, a juvenile detention center in Valhalla, since asking Warwick police and Orange County Child Protective Services to investigate their abuse claims last month.
Authorities in Oregon have not returned our calls for information. Orange County CPS declined to comment.
Warwick police told News 12 on Friday that it was not in their jurisdiction to investigate the teens claims of abuse, and that it is up to officials in Oregon to do so.
Ryan Lyles has vehemently denied the allegations of abuse and blames the media for what he says is a false narrative surrounding the former missing persons case.
“You’re a liar and a fat mouth. I do thank you, however. Your nonsense convinced them to turn themselves in,” says Ryan Lyles. “My baby will be home soon.”
Ryan Lyles says a temporary restraining order against him has been dropped. The Stockle family tells News 12 the Missouri judge handling the case where they live required two examples of alleged harassment to continue the protective order and they had one.
The girl's father also denies harassing the Stockle family.
The court document requesting Orange County Family Court return Penny Lyles to Oregon and her father was dated Dec. 13. The Stockle family says the teen was returned to Oregon Friday morning and had a family court hearing in Clatsop County later in the day.
Ryan Lyles previously told News 12 that the couple ran away in fear of being separated after he planned to confront them about alleged misbehavior.
Jonathan Stockle was living with the Lyles family when he and Penny Lyles fled to New York. He stayed with his aunt in Warwick for several weeks and returned home to his parents in Missouri late last month.
