Police, father looking for teen who escaped from rehab facility

There's a desperate search for a 16-year-old girl who has escaped from a well-known rehab facility in the west suburbs.

Her father is begging for help as his fear grows.

Dan Dougherty is struggling to push emotions aside and focusing on finding his daughter, Meghan Dougherty. He says she was addicted to drugs and alcohol, so he drove her from Pennsylvania to Timberline Knolls -- a well-known residential treatment center.

Dougherty says just hours after he left, Meghan bolted, making it past a fence and vanishing about 6 p.m. Wednesday.

Lemont police suspect Meghan may have tried to hitch hike home to Pennsylvania. She doesn’t have a phone, cash or connections to anyone in Illinois.

In a statement, Timberline Knolls wrote, “safety is our first priority and all law enforcement and appropriate agencies are notified as warranted.”

Dougherty says he warned staffers Meghan had run away before, but he’s not ready to question them.

Lemont police used canines to search for Meghan. They keep checking trains and busses leaving the area.

Police ask if anyone saw a hitch hiker or picked one up, please call them.