DODGE COUNTY – Gary Day, 40, who allegedly took pregnant 16-year-old Sophia Franklin, appeared in Dodge County Circuit Court on Thursday.
Franklin has been missing since February 2025, according to authorities. Day is confirmed to be the father of her unborn child.
Police discovered Franklin and Day on April 2 around 11:40 p.m. near Omaha, Nebraska. The Sarpy County Sheriff’s Office was responding to a tip about a potential sighting in the area. They made contact with the juvenile, later identified as Franklin, who was allegedly with an adult male matching Day’s description.
Franklin has been reunited with her family.
Day faces additional charges in Sarpy County. In February, authorities charged Day with four felonies and issued an arrest warrant. The Dodge County, Wisconsin, District Attorney’s Office filed two felony charges of child abduction and two counts of child enticement-causing mental/bodily harm. The first abduction and child enticement count have an offense date of July 29, 2024, and the other two have an offense date of February 3, 2025.
Prosecutors submitted an amended criminal complaint.
In the updated criminal complaint, Franklin is referred to as “Victim A.”
After being discovered in Nebraska, Franklin told police that Day visited her house on February 3rd, despite having no prior plans to meet. He entered her bedroom, she grabbed a pillow and a coat, and the two left, according to the complaint. During the interview, Day admitted to going to Franklin’s house and taking her. However, he denied having sexual relations with the teen.
Franklin stated that they visited Eau Claire before traveling to Minnesota. She said they went through Iowa, Missouri, and Kansas City, where they slept in parking lots for two nights. According to the complaint, they then traveled to the Oklahoma panhandle, through Texas and New Mexico, and finally to the Phoenix area in Arizona.
According to the complaint, Franklin explained that the pair left Day’s Buick in Avondale, Arizona, near a Culver’s. Police discovered the vehicle in that area.
Franklin explained that after they ditched the Buick, she and Day took rides with truck drivers. The criminal complaint states that they once slept in a tent near the Willamette River in Oregon.
According to the complaint, Franklin told police that neither she nor Day had phones or electronic devices. Franklin claimed Day destroyed his SIM card after leaving Arkansas.
Franklin stated that after leaving her home with Day, she threw her phone into a river. She does not know which river that was. She also stated that neither she nor Day contacted their families while she was missing.
The complaint went on to say that Franklin stated that she was engaged to Day and that they had discussed getting married. Franklin stated that they intended to travel to the East Coast in search of cash-paying jobs. Franklin admitted that he did not have a plan for what to do when the baby arrived.
According to the complaint, Franklin also told police that she and Day had no plan for what to do if they encountered law enforcement, and that they were only trying to avoid police and security cameras.
Day’s bond amount was set at $2 million. He has been ordered not to make any direct or indirect contact with Franklin, her family, or the residence. He also has no contact with minors.
Day will return to court on April 23rd for a review hearing. He will return to court on April 24 for a preliminary hearing.