ROOSEVELT, Utah, March 10, 2022 (Gephardt Daily) — A 13-year-old girl missing since Tuesday has been found safe by the Cheyenne (Wyoming) City Police Department.
Rylie Secrest, of Roosevelt, was found in the back of a white bobtail semi driven by Chris Evans, 25, of Florida, a statement from the Roosevelt City Police Department says.
Secrest’s family has said surveillance video captured the teen leaving the house in the early hours of Tuesday, and she had told friends she was meeting someone and moving to Florida.
Data from Evans’ cell phone helped guide investigators to the suspect’s location, the police statement says, adding that Secrest was located at 3:39 p.m. Thursday.
“This is one of the first instances of a case involving Oculus in the nation,” the Roosevelt City Police statement says. “Rylie was located by the Cheyenne police within one hour of identifying Evans as a suspect.”
Investigators determined Rylie communicated online with Evans for approximately one month, the statement says.
The teen appears to be in good health, the RCPD statement says, adding “An investigation regarding kidnapping and harboring a runaway charges against Evans are underway.”
Also contributing to the investigation were the Utah Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the FBI, the Utah State Bureau of Investigations, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and the Uintah County Sheriff’s Department.
