🚨 SHE CALLED HER STEPMOTHER AT 4 AM: “PLEASE COME GET ME.” BY SUNRISE, THE 17-YEAR-OLD WAS GONE FOREVER 😱💔

Hailey Buzbee, just 17, gaming late into the night like always. Her online teammate compliments her skills, calls her mature, makes her laugh… but he’s not who she thinks.

He’s 39-year-old Tyler Thomas, driving hours from Ohio to scoop her up on January 5, 2026.

Then, in the dead of night, a desperate 4 a.m. call to her stepmom: “Please come get me.” Panic. Fear. A plea for rescue.

But sunrise comes… and Hailey vanishes.

What Tyler Thomas’s attorney dropped in court on February 2 shattered everything. The revelation that turned hope into horror, confirming the nightmare no family should face.

The disappearance of 17-year-old Hailey Buzbee took a devastating turn when details emerged of a frantic 4 a.m. phone call to her stepmother pleading for rescue, just hours before she vanished without a trace. The call, reported in social media posts and discussed amid the unfolding investigation, highlighted the terror the teen may have felt in her final hours.

Hailey, a Fishers High School student known for her outgoing personality and love of video games, was last seen leaving her family home sometime after 10 p.m. on January 5, 2026. Her parents, Beau and stepmother Ronya Buzbee, said goodnight to her that evening, unaware it would be the last time they saw her alive.

The next morning, January 6, Hailey’s room was empty. She appeared to have left voluntarily, leaving behind her phone and most belongings—raising immediate red flags for her family. They reported her missing, describing her as endangered and in potential danger from outside assistance.

Investigators soon traced Hailey’s movements to an online gaming connection. She had been chatting and playing with a teammate who praised her skills, called her mature, and built a rapport that made her feel understood. Unbeknownst to Hailey, the person on the other end was 39-year-old Tyler Thomas from Columbus, Ohio.

Court records and police statements indicate Thomas drove from Ohio to pick Hailey up from her Fishers home that night. He later admitted to the pickup but initially claimed he dropped her off along a road in western Ohio—a story investigators disproved through evidence and further questioning.

The 4 a.m. call to her stepmother emerged as a pivotal, heartbreaking detail circulating in public discussions and family appeals. In the call, Hailey reportedly said, “Please come get me,” conveying urgency and distress. Family members and online posts framed it as a desperate cry for help, though authorities have not officially confirmed the exact wording or timing in public releases, likely to protect the integrity of the ongoing investigation.

By sunrise, Hailey was gone. Her phone went silent, online activity ceased, and no credible sightings followed. The Fishers Police Department classified her as endangered and launched a multi-agency search involving local, state, and federal resources, including the FBI due to the interstate nature of the case.

Thomas became the focus after detectives tracked a vehicle seen in Hailey’s neighborhood to him. He was arrested January 31, 2026, in Columbus on charges of pandering sexually oriented matter involving a minor (for allegedly possessing and attempting to delete explicit images and a video of Hailey on his phone) and tampering with evidence.

On February 2, Thomas appeared in Franklin County Municipal Court for an initial hearing on those charges. Bond was set at $1.5 million with strict conditions: no internet access, no unsupervised contact with minors, no firearms, no alcohol or drugs, and no contact with the Buzbee family.

Outside the courtroom, Thomas’s attorney, Samuel Shamansky, made key revelations that shifted the case dramatically. Shamansky confirmed his client had cooperated fully, leading authorities to the location of Hailey’s remains in Perry County, Ohio, over the weekend of February 1-2. Thomas, transported from Franklin County Jail to the site by the FBI and local agencies, pinpointed where he said he had buried her—sparing investigators a prolonged search in the wooded area of Wayne National Forest near a trailhead.

Shamansky emphasized Thomas’s cooperation: “He took law enforcement to the precise spot so they wouldn’t have to needlessly waste time and energy searching for a needle in a haystack.” He added that Thomas turned himself in at his insistence to assist and bring closure, though he maintained his client did not kill Hailey and would plead not guilty to any homicide charges.

The remains, recovered Sunday, were sent to the Licking County Coroner’s Office for autopsy and identification. Authorities later confirmed they belonged to Hailey, with evidence suggesting she died shortly after her disappearance, possibly at a short-term rental property in Hocking County where she and Thomas had been.

Shamansky anticipated additional charges, likely murder, in Hocking or Perry County, but noted no homicide indictment had been filed at the time. He described the cooperation as aimed at “bringing complete closure, at least with respect to this stage of the investigation.”

The revelation after the February 2 hearing—that Thomas had directed police to the body—confirmed the worst fears of Hailey’s family and community. Fishers Police Chief Ed Gebhart stated during a February 1 press conference that evidence and suspect statements had shifted the probe to recovery efforts, presuming Hailey deceased.

The case has spotlighted the risks of online interactions between adults and minors via gaming platforms. Hailey’s family launched public appeals, including an open letter: “Dear Hailey, If you are reading this, please know how deeply loved you are… We can face anything together.” A GoFundMe supported search efforts and family needs, with unused funds earmarked for missing children organizations.

Community response included vigils in Fishers and widespread social media sharing of Hailey’s photos—showing a smiling teen with friends and family. Her father, Beau, works in public safety, adding personal weight to the tragedy for colleagues and supporters.

As the multi-jurisdictional investigation continues—led by Fishers PD, Columbus PD, Hocking Hills Sheriff’s Office, Perry County authorities, FBI, and Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation—questions persist: What transpired between the 4 a.m. plea and sunrise? Forensic evidence from the rental property, phone data, and autopsy results may provide answers.

Thomas remains in custody, with a next court date set for February 10 or later proceedings. No murder charges have been announced, but officials indicate the pursuit of justice for Hailey drives the case forward.

For the Buzbee family, the revelations bring painful finality. A young life full of promise ended too soon, sparked by an online connection that turned deadly. Hailey’s story serves as a stark warning about stranger danger in digital spaces and the importance of vigilance.

Rest in peace, Hailey. Your family fought for you every step, and the search for full truth continues.