A 17-year-old girl from the Gila River Indian Community was located in Iowa after going missing for 10 days, and the FBI detained a male she met there, according to the Gila River Police Department.
The girl was reported missing on August 6 after disappearing from Bapchule, a village south of Chandler.
According to a Gila River police press release, the girl allegedly purchased a ticket from Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport to Des Moines, Iowa, to meet a man she had been speaking with online.
According to a news release, the Gila River Police Department and the FBI collaborated with the Bureau of Indian Affairs in Iowa to identify the youngster due to “serious concerns” about her safety and well-being.
On Friday afternoon, the girl was found in Ankney, Iowa, with 20-year-old Malachi Reed, who had been apprehended by the FBI. His accusations remained pending, according to the news statement.
“The quick response and coordinated efforts of all agencies involved reaffirm our mutual commitment to addressing the nationwide Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons epidemic,” stated Jesse Crabtree, the Gila River Police Department’s chief.
