Missing 15-year-old girl who had disturbing chats with men is found safe in Colorado

News.com.au

2 days ago

A 15-year-old girl who vanished nearly six weeks ago in Utah — prompting the investigation of three men, including at least one who shared disturbing chats while trying to get her to meet him — has been found safe more than 800 kilometres away in Colorado, according to authorities.
Alisa Petrov, 15, from South Jordan, walked into the Colorado Springs Police Department on Sunday evening, six weeks after she disappeared, police said, according to KUTV.
She was in good health, but police have not yet determined how she got to the police station or if she was held against her will, the outlet reported.
Ms Petrov was reported missing on April 21, two days after her final message to a 41-year-old man with whom she had been having a series of conversations, according to an affidavit obtained by KSL TV.
'I'M RUNNING AWAY. Please don't contact me,' Ms Petrov wrote at 12:34am, local time on April 19 in a message to an unnamed man from Herriman, Utah, whom she met on Discord, the report said.
The man was later identified as Samuel Teancum Mitchell, after police conducted a reverse search of the phone number he provided to Ms Petrov, KUTV reported.
The illicit messages included discussions about condoms and sex games, as well as planning to meet in person, according to the affidavit.
Messages were discovered on Ms Petrov's iPad, which she left behind in her bedroom.
She had shared her Snapchat username with him, and some messages may have been deleted, according to the warrant.
Mitchell, 41, was arrested Wednesday and charged with five counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, a second-degree felony, and enticement of a minor.
Two other men were also charged for communicating with Ms Petrov before her disappearance, KSL reported.
William Taylor Glines, 37, is in custody in Texas, and a second suspect, Matthew Nicholas Menard, 35, of Florida, turned himself in on Wednesday night, the outlet said.
Glines has been charged with aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor, attempted aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor, first-degree felonies, and criminal solicitation, records indicate.
Menard was also charged with aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor, enticing a minor, and three counts of criminal solicitation.
Petrov was last seen on security video leaving a train platform in Provo, KUTV reported.
Her family had previously offered a US$20,000 reward for any information leading to her safe return.