Latest news with #AlisaPetrov
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Father's astonishing confession about mistake that drove Alisa, 15, into clutches of three pedophiles... before she vanished
For six weeks after a Utah teenager disappeared this spring, her parents feared she may have been dragged off and sexually exploited, or lying dead in a ditch. But as it turns out, 15-year-old Alisa Petrov was safe in a room she rented in a Colorado Springs trailer park, trying to eke out a life away from an overprotective father.
News.com.au
03-06-2025
- Health
- News.com.au
Missing 15-year-old girl who had disturbing chats with men is found safe in Colorado
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.
The Guardian
02-06-2025
- General
- The Guardian
Utah teenager located safe and in good health after going missing in April
A 15-year-old Utah girl, who vanished in April, has been located safe and in good health in Colorado Springs, authorities confirmed late Sunday night. According to Sgt Shaun Becker, Alisa Petrov walked into the Colorado Springs police department earlier that evening and identified herself. Officials stated she appeared to be unharmed and physically well. Alisa had last been seen six weeks ago on 21 April, captured on surveillance footage leaving a train platform in Provo. That marked the last known sighting of her until this week's development. Investigators have not yet disclosed how she traveled to Colorado or whether she was coerced or detained during her time away. Detectives are now coordinating efforts to reunite Alisa with her family. Her father, Nikolai Petrov, had previously said that the family's priority was her safe return rather than pursuing arrests or placing blame. 'Obviously, it's best if she just walked in the door and said 'Hey, I'm back,' that would be the best outcome,' he said in an interview with KUTV. The circumstances surrounding Alisa's disappearance remain largely unclear. Officials have not released information about where she stayed over the past six weeks or the specific reasons behind her decision to turn herself in. A more detailed statement is expected, according to Becker, as authorities work on an official news release. In a Facebook post, Nikolai Petrov shared the good news. 'We are all really happy that Alisa is found and looking forward to seeing her!' he wrote on Facebook. 'Special thanks to the South Jordan Police Department who worked on weekends, and to the Salt Lake City FBI who helped them. Thank you to all of our friends for your help and support.' The day she went missing, Alisa was dropped off at Canyon Grove Academy in American Fork, roughly 32 miles south of Salt Lake City. However, she never attended classes. Instead, she purchased supplies at a nearby Speedway gas station and persuaded a man to drive her to a local train station. From there, she traveled to Provo, about 14 miles away, where she reportedly asked multiple individuals for assistance in purchasing a bus ticket to Las Vegas. Her goal was to meet 35-year-old Matthew Nicholas Menard, whom she had been in contact with. The teen's mother Olga had previously told the Daily Mail that Alisa had saved about $1,000 from birthday gifts and allowance money, which she kept after turning 15 on 16 April, just five days before she disappeared.
New York Post
02-06-2025
- New York Post
Missing 15-year-old girl who had disturbing chats with men is found safe over 500 miles from home
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 sex chats while trying to get her to meet him — has been found safe more than 500 miles 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 cops have not yet determined how she got to the police station or if she was held against her will, the outlet reported. Advertisement 3 15-year-old Alisa Petrov, who had been missing for six weeks, appeared healthy when she walked into a Colorado police precinct Sunday. Facebook / Nikolai Petrov 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 sexual conversations, according to an affidavit obtained by KSL TV. 'I'M RUNNING AWAY. Please don't contact me,' Petrov wrote on April 19 at 12:34 a.m. 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 Petrov, KUTV reported. Advertisement Their chats had become increasingly sexual, including discussions about condoms and sex games, as well as planning to meet in person, according to the affidavit. Messages were discovered on 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. Advertisement 3 Sexually explicit messages were discovered on Petrov's iPad, which she left behind in her bedroom. Facebook / Nikolai Petrov 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 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. Advertisement 3 William Taylor Glines was charged with aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor, among other charges. He is one of three men arrested following Petrov's disappearance. Galveson County Jail 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 $20,000 reward for any information leading to her safe return.
Daily Mail
02-06-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
BREAKING NEWS Missing Utah girl, 15, is found ALIVE six weeks after vanishing into thin air
A teenage girl missing for six weeks after running away from home to meet an alleged pedophile has been found alive. Alisa Petrov, 15, vanished without a trace on April 21 after being dropped off at school in Utah, getting on a train out of town. Hours later, her frantic parents Olga and Nikolai Petrov discovered their daughter had a terrifying double life when her secret iPad was found hidden in her dresser. The teenager dug the long-forgotten device out of a dusty old box and was chatting to three accused pedophiles, all now behind bars. Alisa was last seen at a train station in Provo, Utah, asking for help getting a bus ticket to Las Vegas, where she had arranged to meet Matthew Nicholas Menard, 35. Nothing was heard from her until she walked into a police station in Colorado Springs on Sunday night and identified herself. Police said the teen was 'in good health' but it is still unknown where she was or if she was being held against her will. 'Alisa's parents have been notified of her location and are working with South Jordan Police to bring her home,' police said. Alisa skipped school and got on a train to Provo, Utah, then tried to go to Las Vegas to meet one of the alleged pedophiles. He planned to fly her to his home in Miami via Los Angeles On April 21, Alisa was dropped off at her school, Canyon Grove Academy, in American Fork, about 32 miles south of Salt Lake City. But instead of going to class, she bought supplies at a nearby gas station and convinced a man there to drive her to the local train station. Alisa got off the train in Provo, about 14 miles south of American Fork, and asked multiple people there to help her get a bus ticket to Las Vegas. Olga last week told her daughter had about $1,000 saved from pocket money and birthday gifts that she didn't spend after she turned 15 on April 16, just five days before running away. 'Somebody else is either helping her and we don't know who or where... I'm not suspecting the worst,' she said. 'That means she's with somebody else and we don't know if it's a good person or a bad person.'
