RIVERTON, Utah, April 10, 2022 (Gephardt Daily) — An Amber Alert issued for two Riverton sisters has been canceled after they were located by police in Salt Lake City’s Liberty Park.
Word of the Amber Alert’s cancelation was posted on Twitter by the Department of Public Safety Tweet at 8:56 p.m.
The siblings, ages 14 and 7, had last been seen around 4 p.m. Sunday when the 14-year-old took her guardian’s car and drove off with the younger sister, according to a Riverton Police Department news release.
It was believed the pair may have been headed to Idaho where one of the girl’s biological father lives.
“It worked out exactly the way it was intended,” Riverton Sgt. Tony Wolfgramm said of the girls being located within 30 minutes of the Amber Alert, which was issued just before 7:30 p.m. Sunday.
What they were doing since 4 p.m. for the more than three hours that passed after the 14-year-old allegedly stole her grandparents car with her 7-year-old sister along has yet to be determined, he said.
As of 9:30 p.m. the 14-year-old was still being interview by detectives, while the 7-year-old had been returned to her grandparents.
A call to dispatch located the car parked at Liberty Park in Salt Lake City and the two girls were found in the park by Salt Lake City police, who held them for Riverton. Wolfgramm said.
The pair didn’t run from police and were cooperative with officers, he said. “It may be they just wanted to enjoy a nice day at the park.” Riverton is roughly 15 miles south of Salt Lake City.
But the Amber Alert was issued as officials were concerned about a 14-year-old unlicensed driver who has a history as a runaway, Wolfgramm said.
Two detectives had been called in after hours to deal with the expected phone calls from the Amber Alert, but were left with nothing to do owing to the swiftness of the recovery.
Gephardt Daily will update the story as more information becomes available.
