Florida judge to order runaway who feared harm after conversion back home to Ohio

Fla. judge to order runaway convert to return home

ORLANDO, Fla. — A Florida judge says he plans to order the teenager who ran away from Ohio to Florida because she feared physical harm for converting from Islam to Christianity sent back to Ohio.

The Orlando judge said Tuesday that he will sign the order when he gets the documents on 17-year-old Rifqa Bary’s (RIFF’-kuh BEAR’-ee) immigration status.

Bary has been in foster care in Orlando while her case was being reviewed. The judge says he will likely turn over the case to an Ohio court in the next few weeks.

Bary ran away from her parents’ Columbus-area home in July, saying she feared being killed for changing religions. But a Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigation found no credible threats to Bary.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is below.

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — The teenager who ran away from Ohio to Florida because she feared physical harm for converting from Islam to Christianity has been ordered back to Ohio.

A Florida judge said Tuesday that 17-year-old Rifqa Bary (RIFF’-kuh BEAR’-ee), who has been staying in Orlando, should return to her family, who live outside Columbus.

Bary has been in foster care in Florida while her case was being reviewed. The judge says he will turn over the case to an Ohio court in the next few weeks, but no order has been signed yet.

Bary ran away from her parents’ home in July, saying she feared being killed for changing religions. But a Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigation found no credible threats to Bary.

(This version clarifies that the judge has not yet signed the order.))