East Arizona News

This notification provides information regarding a reported kidnapping in St. Johns, Arizona, which was determined to be unfounded.

On Thursday, January 19, 2023 7:08 pm, the St. Johns Police Department received a 9-1-1 call regarding a kidnapping from the St. Johns Market. The reporting party, the mother, told the 9-1-1 dispatchers that her 9-year old daughter had been kidnapped from the store and the suspect fled in a dark colored minivan west on Cleveland Street. The mother told the dispatcher that she was following the suspect. Within a very short window of time, on-duty St. Johns Police Officers, off-duty St. Johns Police Officers were responding to the call along with Apache County Sheriff’s Office Deputies were looking for the suspect vehicle. Deputies located a vehicle matching the limited description provided by the 9-1-1 dispatchers on Highway 61 near milepost 358 in between Concho and Show Low Pines. Within 10 minutes St. Johns Police Officers were passing through Concho, Arizona to assist on the traffic stop. St. Johns Police Officers were not able to contact the mother, who was on the phone call, because the call was disconnected. While attempting to contact the mother, St. Johns Police Officers learned that the daughter was at home. The St. Johns Police Department learned from the juvenile’s parents, that their daughter was separated from her mother in the store. The daughter believed that her mother had left, when in fact the mother was still in the store looking for her daughter. The daughter started running home, when a passing by motorist stopped because he observed the child running. The motorist allowed the juvenile to use his cellphone to call her mother. After the juvenile used the phone, she continued running towards her home, when she was picked up by her father.

“I am grateful for the quick response from the St. Johns Police Department and the Apache County Sheriff’s Office Deputies to this incident. Within seconds, St. Johns Police Officers were responding towards Show Low Pines and Deputies from the Apache County Sheriff’s Office were responding from Show Low Pines in attempt to locate the victim and suspect vehicle with the limited information that was provided. Thankfully, this incident had a positive outcome and lessons were learned by everyone involved. It takes only seconds for a kidnapping to occur, and their are kidnappings that remain unsolved decades later. Please, talk with your children about staying close to their family and not separating from one another.” - Chief Lance Spivey

Original source can be found here.