A Long Island father has shared the harrowing ordeal of his 14-year-old daughter, Emmarae, who went missing for a month before being rescued from a boat in an Islip marina. Frank Gervasi says his daughter was plied with drugs and trafficked by multiple individuals during the ordeal, which began when she left the family’s Patchogue home on December 9.
According to Gervasi, Emmarae, who has struggled with drug addiction and wore a monitoring ankle bracelet, jumped into a car with someone she met online. Her bracelet was removed, and she was soon under the influence of drugs. Surveillance footage later captured her at a Bohemia motel, but she vanished again before her father discovered her on a boat last week.
Police have arrested 65-year-old Francis Buckheit, who has been charged with kidnapping, rape, and endangering a child. Buckheit remains in custody without bail. Authorities have not ruled out the involvement of others in the case.
Gervasi revealed that Emmarae was held by a group at the motel before being moved to the boat, where Buckheit allegedly planned to transport her out of the area. “From what I heard, they were getting ready to move the boat,” Gervasi said. He located his daughter after receiving an anonymous tip, leading to her rescue.
“When I saw her, she said, ‘Oh my God, Dad! What are you doing here? Thank God,’” Gervasi recalled. He contacted police and cleared the boat before Buckheit returned.
Gervasi also noted the connection between heavy drug use and trafficking, emphasizing how addiction is exploited to control victims.
While Emmarae is now safe, her father acknowledged that she faces a long recovery. “She’s got a long road of recovery ahead of her,” Gervasi said.
Authorities continue to investigate the case to identify others who may have been involved in Emmarae’s ordeal.
