PRAYERS ANSWERED—Joann Hicks, left, and family friend Sandy Swink hold hands Wednesday at Grace Brethren High School during a candlelight vigil for Hicks’ daughter, Ariel Beck, who returned home later that night. WENDY PIERRO/Acorn Newspapers After 15 days missing, a 14year-old Simi Valley girl has returned home.

Ariel Beck, a ninth-grader at Grace Brethren High School, left her home voluntarily early on the morning of Nov. 18. The teen, who’d been grounded by her parents, packed a black sports bag with some clothes.

Ariel returned to her grandmother’s house alone at about 9 p.m. Wednesday night, just a couple of hours after a prayer vigil for Ariel ended at Grace Brethren.

More than 300 people had gathered at the school praying for Ariel’s safe return, according to John Hynes, principal at Grace Brethren.

“As her grandmother was pulling into the house (after the vigil), Ariel was walking up the driveway,” said Ray Hicks, Ariel’s stepfather. “She’s fine. We’re just thrilled she’s home. There’s still some hard stuff to come, but we know now our daughter is safe.”

Ray and Joann Hicks notified the Simi Valley Police Department of her return Wednesday night. Officers met with Ariel to verify she hadn’t been harmed. According to police reports, it was determined she’d “voluntarily left and voluntarily returned with no abduction or foul play involved.”

Ray Hicks said Ariel is saying she was in Sacramento, but they aren’t quite sure yet what transpired over the last couple weeks.

“We’re still trying to sort everything out now—the whos and the whys and the what fors,” Ray Hicks said. “We’re still doing our due diligence to make sure she’s protected. We know there was adult intervention in her leaving and we’re still very, very suspicious of that.”

Police said the incident appeared to be related to family issues. The department is assisting the family with counseling and other resources.