The teenage child of two tech founders, Mint Butterfield, was found in San Francisco on Saturday with a 26-year-old man. Mint is the child of billionaire Slack cofounder Stewart Butterfield and Flickr founder Caterina Fake. She was found in the city’s Tenderloin district around 11:30 p.m. by police. The man she was found with, Christopher “Kio” Dizefalo, is now facing charges for abducting her.
Butterfield’s mother reported her missing on April 22, stating that Mint had been living with her mother and attending a private boarding school in Napa before her disappearance. The teenager was believed to have gone to the Tenderloin, an area known for drug activity. Dizefalo, described as an “adult friend” by officials, is suspected of coaxing Mint into leaving home six days prior. He is currently in jail in Marin County on charges of child abduction and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
Mint, who is nonbinary and uses they/them pronouns, was considered at-risk due to previous threats of suicide. After being reunited with her family, a statement from Butterfield’s family expressed gratitude to everyone who assisted in locating Mint, including law enforcement and volunteers. They emphasized the importance of understanding the threat posed by predators who use drugs to groom teenagers.
