An outpouring of community concern was swiftly followed by a collective sigh of relief as a missing northern Indiana teenager was found safe early yesterday morning. The St. John Police Department, which had earlier solicited the public’s assistance in locating the 15-year-old girl, confirmed her safe recovery. The teen had last been seen at about 10 a.m. last Sunday.
Authorities initially believed the teen to potentially be in extreme danger, prompting the Indiana State Police to issue a Silver Alert late Sunday evening. In their call for aid, they described the girl as 5-foot-2, blond-haired, with blue eyes, weighing around 90 pounds and possibly in need of medical assistance. The Silver Alert was publicly broadcasted close to 9 p.m., as reported by WTHR. She was wearing a gray hoodie, black leggings, and was believed to have been carrying a tan tote bag and black backpack. There was also mention of a 2012-14 Toyota Camry with tinted windows and black rims linked to her disappearance.
The sense of urgency was palpable as the search extended through the night, with the St. John Police Department declining to immediately release additional details, as per their social media post. The community was left to grapple with scant information, riding the tense wavelengths of hope and concern until the update came that the search had concluded, and thankfully on a positive note…