Alisa Petrov: Police Expand Search for ‘Endangered' Girl to Texas
Police have expanded the search for Alisa Petrov, a missing teenage girl from Utah, to Texas.
Petrov, 15, was last seen on April 21. The South Jordan Police Department (SJPD), which is leading the investigation, said she walked away from her school in American Fork, went to a local gas station and later boarded a Utah Transit Authority train.
She was last seen getting off the train in Provo, Utah, around 15 miles south of American Fork, and reportedly asked people for help getting to Las Vegas, which is nearly 400 miles away.
The SJPD said she is listed "as a Runaway Juvenile who is endangered."
The SJPD said on Saturday that it had received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children identifying a man in Texas who is believed to have communicated with Petrov before she left school on April 21. The man's name was not released.
The department said it will be "working closely" with the Texas City Police Department in their search for Petrov.
It said Petrov is "believed to be attempting to meet individuals she met online" using multiple social media platforms and chat applications.
In a post on Facebook, the Texas City Police Department said its Internet Crimes Against Children, Criminal Investigations Division and Crime Suppression Unit began assisting the SJPD on Thursday.
"The Texas City Police Department remains committed to protecting our youth and ensuring that offenders are brought to justice," the department said in the post. "We will continue to update the public as more investigations reach their conclusion…"
Newsweek has contacted the police departments for comment via email.
Petrov's parents Nikolai and Olga Petrov told KSL-TV that they are worried their daughter was lured away by an adult or may have been trafficked.
"That's what we are suspecting at the moment," Olga Petrov told KSL TV. "We have no confirmation, but concerns."
Petrov's family set up a website to help locate Petrov, offering a $20,000 reward to anyone who provides "verifiable information that directly leads to Alisa's safe return."
The South Jordan Police Department said: "We will continue all efforts to locate Alisa and follow any leads that may become discoverable from our Texas partners."
Alisa Petrov's parents wrote on the dedicated website: "Alisa, if you can see this, please know that we love you, we will always love you. We miss you, All of your friends and our friends are very worried too. We all want you to return. You will not get in trouble for running away. We are not mad at you. We absolutely love you regardless of what happened, and you are welcome home at any time."
Anyone who has seen Alisa Petrov or has information about her whereabouts is urged to call 911 or their local police department.
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