A 15-year-old Gary girl who went missing Monday, prompting an Amber Alert from the Indiana State Police, has been "located safely" in Gary, authorities said at a Tuesday afternoon press conference.
The girl, who is not being named because she is a juvenile, was found in Gary just before 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, but police did not specify where she was found, how she was located or if she was with anyone. Because the Gary police investigation into the matter is ongoing, few other details were released.
When Indiana State Police issued the alert Monday afternoon, police thought that the girl may have been in "extreme danger" when they asked for the public’s help in finding her. Neither the state police nor Gary police specified what danger the teenager may have been in. When she was last seen, she was looking for "assistance after her mother was the victim of a crime," according to Lt. Dawn Westerfield.
Police have not released the identity of the mother or the nature of the crime, but the girl went missing around the same time a Gary woman was found unresponsive in the 4400 block of West 23rd Place, both occurring around 2 a.m. Monday.
The Lake County Coroner declared the woman, 34-year-old Jamie Garnett, dead at the scene and ruled her death a homicide. While an autopsy was performed Monday, the coroner’s office had not released the cause of death or any possible injuries to Garnett as the investigation is ongoing, according to Chief Deputy Scott Sefton.
Westerfield did not confirm Tuesday whether Garnett and the girl are related or if the two cases were connected.
Because the investigations into the two matters are ongoing, police did not release additional information as "the integrity of both cases must be kept," Westerfield said. Shortly after a press conference Tuesday afternoon to announce that the girl had been found safe, the Amber Alert for the teenager was canceled.
Chastinea Reeves Indiana State Police / Handout Chastinea Reeves Chastinea Reeves (Indiana State Police / Handout)
Westerfield did not confirm that the search for the girl involved an abduction, but said that "it met the state criteria, and therefore the state issued it. Had it not met their criteria, they would not have released it."
Because the girl is a minor, Westerfield said that her location after being found would not be released.
"We are pleased that we have recovered her safely and hope to have more information for you soon," Westerfield said.
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