High school student who might’ve fled arranged marriage is found safe

Skokie Police said Wednesday a Niles North High School girl missing for more than a month — possibly because she ran from an arranged marriage — has been found and is safe and unharmed.

Zaineb S. Chaudhary, 16, was last seen March 11 at Niles North. Chaudhary, from Pakistan, had last contacted friends March 12 by phone and text message, police said. But since then, she had not been heard from, and family members had publicly asked for her safe return.

Illinois State Police had reported that Chaudhary might have run away from home to avoid a marriage that was arranged by her father last October, but Sko­kie Police said they could not say for sure that she ran away for that reason.

On Wednesday, Skokie Police said they were still interviewing Chaudhary and shed no more light on why she disappeared.

Police said they did not anticipate any criminal ­charges related to the incident.

Police said they were working with local social service agencies to assist Chaudhary and ensure that her family issues, along with her mental and physical well-being, were addressed appropriately.

Zaineb ­Chaudhary