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.
On August 6, authorities reported the girl missing after she vanished 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.
The FBI apprehended 20-year-old Malachi Reed in Ankney, Iowa, on Friday afternoon. 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.
