COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio can take custody of a girl who ran away to Florida, saying she feared she’d be killed for converting to Christianity from Islam, a judge ruled Thursday in a decision clarifying the girl’s legal status once she returns.

The Franklin County Children’s Services agency will take custody of Rifqa Bary pending the confirmation of her immigration status or her return to Ohio, according to the order by Franklin County Juvenile Court Magistrate Mary Goodrich.

The decision was supported by lawyers for the girl and for her parents, natives of Sri Lanka. Franklin County opposed the request for custody, saying it was premature until the girl was in Ohio

Bary ran away from her parents’ Columbus-area home in July. A Florida Department of LawEnforcement investigation found no credible threats to the girl.

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