A teen missing from Independence since October was located in Carrollton and safely returned, Attorney General Daniel Cameron and the Independence Police Department said Wednesday.
The 17-year old girl was reported missing on November 1 by the Department of Community Based Services (DCBS) with the Cabinet for Health and Family Services.
She had last been seen in Independence where police immediately opened an investigation, a news release said.
“We are celebrating the safe return of a Kentucky youth and are grateful for the collaboration among our partner agencies that led to finding her,” said Cameron. “Our office remains dedicated to working with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and local law enforcement agencies, like the Independence Police Department, to assist in missing child investigations. Tips from Kentuckians are crucial to these efforts, and we must continue working together to prevent child victimization and exploitation.”
A representative from DCBS also reached out to the Attorney General’s Office of Trafficking and Abuse Prevention and Prosecution (TAPP) for assistance with the case. TAPP assisted with facilitating a partnership between the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) and the Independence Police Department.
“Due to the inter-agency cooperation and support shown in this case, this young lady is now in the care of individuals who will both take good care of her and ensure she is not harmed,” said Captain Brian Ferayorni of the Independence Police Department. “This case shows how well federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies can work together when they are working toward a common goal.”
NCMEC worked with law enforcement to enter the missing youth’s information into the organization’s database and create a missing child poster. Within several hours of distribution of the poster, Independence Police received a tip regarding the youth’s whereabouts.Â
On Tuesday, the missing 17-year-old girl was located in Carrollton.
“We’re grateful to have such dedicated partners in the search for missing children,” said John Bischoff, vice president of the Missing Children Division at NCMEC. “That includes the public, whose tips play a critical role in finding missing children. Please, if you see the poster of a missing child, pay attention. You never know when you might be in a position to help.”
-Staff report