Fox News reports that 14-year-old Chloe Campbell, a Colorado teen who went missing over a week ago, has been found alive.
According to authorities, it appears as though this is a case of a teenager running away from home. But, questions remain.
The disappearance
The last time that Campbell was seen was around 6 p.m. on September 30. She was seen attending a football game at Boulder High School with two older men.
An investigation ensued after Campbell, according to her father, David Campbell, “never came home.” Suspicions were raised about the two men with whom Campbell was last seen, particularly after Campbell’s family described the men as “sketchy.”
Campbell’s parents began to gather information from the teen’s friends, who told them that “she may be with someone (or several people) who are men, or older boys, who could be involved with drug dealing and who may have violent criminal records.”
Authorities, though, based on the information they were gathering, believed the likelihood was that Campbell was a “runaway.” Police, nonetheless, cautioned that Campbell may be in danger.
Campbell is found
Around 5 p.m. on Monday, at a residence in Thornton, Colorado, which is about 26 miles from Boulder, Campbell was found alive. Thus far, not many details have been provided by authorities. But, it is not believed that Campbell was held against her will.
“While investigators continue to believe that Chloe ran away, there is an ongoing investigation about where she was and what occurred while she was separated from her family,” said Boulder Police Chief Maris Herold.
Boulder Dep. Police Chief Stephen Redfearn further revealed that “there are indications that considerable steps were being taken by Chloe to avoid contact from law enforcement as well as her family.”
What those steps were is unclear. But, investigators say that friends of Campbell’s did receive messages that appeared to be from the teen, and, in these messages, Campbell said that she was with family in Arizona and did not want to return home.
A happy ending?
Campbell has been returned to her family, and she will undergo a medical evaluation.
Meanwhile, the police investigation into the events surrounding Campbell’s disappearance will continue.