BARLING, Ark. – Arkansas State Police confirmed Tuesday morning that a missing 14-year-old girl at the center of an Amber Alert search was found.
State troopers said that the AMBER Alert was initially issued Tuesday morning after she was last seen Monday evening near Fort Smith.
During a news conference Tuesday afternoon, Sebastian County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Phillip Pevehouse shared details of the investigation, noting the teen was reported missing by her mother Monday night at around 6:30 p.m.
Investigators said the girl told her mother she was going to another house in her neighborhood around 5:30 p.m. for a babysitting job but never arrived at the location.
Barling police say they worked through the night going door to door to canvas the neighborhood in search of the girl through the night, with media then being notified and an AMBER Alert being issued.
At around 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, a man came to the family’s home with the teen, who was safe and reunited with her family.
The man voluntarily went to the Barling Police Department where he was interviewed and released. He told investigators he found the teen walking in the street and immediately took the girl to her home.
The investigation into the girl’s disappearance is still ongoing with more information expected to be released.