Utah Teen Found Alive After 500 Days

Kylie Arellano, a 15-year-old resident of Garden City, Utah, was found alive on Sunday after missing for 500 days. She had left her family home in May 2025 and did not return, prompting a nationwide search that involved the Federal Bureau of Investigation and local law enforcement agencies.

Arellano was located in Oregon with a 39-year-old man. The FBI stated that the suspect was taken into custody without incident. A law enforcement source told Fox News that the man allegedly met the teenager on the messaging platform Snapchat prior to her disappearance.

Stephanie Coleman, Arellano’s mother, confirmed the discovery through a Facebook group she established to share information during the search. Coleman noted that her daughter was found safe the day before her birthday. “I was looking at a photo of my babygirl and Kylie was found safe, the day before my birthday,” Coleman said. She added, “Thank you all so much! We will be back, to save more!”

The family’s social media group indicated that Arellano had been held captive for more than a year. Coleman stated that she never gave up looking for her daughter. Arellano’s grandmother expressed gratitude to authorities on X, writing, “Thank for all you and your agents and teams are doing to find our baby girl, Kylie Arellano and bring her home!”

The FBI and the Rich County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case for over a year. The agencies pursued leads from across the United States and in other countries. The FBI Salt Lake City field office said the team investigated dozens of unconfirmed sightings before locating the teenager.

FBI Director Kash Patel said local police in Oregon brought the missing minor to safety based on information provided by the Salt Lake City Field Office. “We are grateful she can return home, and we will continue working with our partners to hold those responsible accountable,” Patel said. The field office stated that the case remains ongoing and no further information will be released at this time.