Missing 15-year-old Spokane girl found in Nevada

A Spokane teen missing since Saturday morning was found in Elko, Nevada, on Tuesday in the company of an 18-year-old, the Spokane Police Department said.

Sophia Owens, 15, left her home on the 5000 block of South Regal Street about 10 a.m. Saturday. She was supposed to be going to Manito Park, but her phone last pinged in Mead before being turned off, police have said.

Owens’ parents have been notified that she was found, and she is in protective custody, police said. Runaway juveniles are placed into protective custody while law enforcement is responsible for their safety, Officer John O’Brien said.

Owens did not appear to be injured when she was found, O’Brien said. She will be brought back to Spokane and reunited with her family, he added.

The Spokane Police Department thanked the Targeted Crimes Unit Detectives, FBI and local Nevada authorities for helping to locate Owens.

It’s undetermined whether anyone will faces charges in connection with the case, but there is an active investigation of all people involved, O’Brien said.

“There may or may not be charges against all or others yet to be identified,” O’Brien wrote in an email. “We have to let the investigation be completed.”