SandyMaloneGrand Junction, CO – The 12-year-old girl believe to have been abducted by her stepfather was located in a Walmart in Rifle on Thursday evening.
Raeanna Rosencrans wasn’t hurt, and was in the custody of authorities after she was located at about 10 p.m., police told KUSA.
Her stepfather, Jody Haskin, was still at large and still wanted by police.
UPDATE: Haskins was located and fatally shot himself as police closed in on him, according to Denver7.
“Raeanna is safe and in the custody of law enforcement in Rifle. She appears to be physically unharmed, but was transported to a local hospital to be checked out,” Grand Junction police said in a message on their website.
“We are deeply grateful for the cooperation and support of the community, the media, and all of the partnering law enforcement agencies who aided in the safe return of Raeanna,” Grand Junction PD said in a statement.
Law enforcement were still actively searching for Haskin on Friday morning.
Before she was found, Grand Junction police and the Colorado Bureau of Investigations put out two Amber Alerts for Raeanna Rosencrans, who was last seen at about 3 p.m. on April 25 getting into a “boxy” green sedan that was later recovered by police, the Grand Junction Police Department said in a post on its website.
The first alert, which was initiated on Wednesday night, described the 12 year old as a “missing endangered” person.
Rosencrans was described as developmentally delayed, but high-functioning. Witnesses told police she got into the vehicle willingly, KCNC reported.
The second Amber Alert, issued early Thursday afternoon, featured a picture of Haskin, whom authorities considered to be a “strong person of interest” in the girl’s disappearance.
Police said that Haskin has no parental rights to Rosencrans.
Haskin was described as a white male, balding, 6 feet tall, 215 pounds, with brown eyes and glasses.
“We urge the public to continue to share updates regarding this case and spread the information far and wide, making every attempt to reach anyone who may be able to provide valuable information,” police asked anyone with information about the case to call 911.
Haskin is a registered sex offender with a conviction for felony gross sexual imposition in North Dakota in 1990. He was charged and convicted with failing to register as a sex offender after he moved to Colorado in 2002.
The warrant he was wanted on in Grand Junction carried three sentence enhancers for habitual sex offenses, KMGH reported.
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