Amber Alert resolved: Missing 17-year-old girl found in Arnhem
This article was updated after the missing person was found.
A 17-year-old girl missing since Monday was found in a house in her hometown of Arnhem. The police sent out an Amber Alert on Thursday afternoon. Half an hour later, the police announced that the girl, Karlijn, had been found.
Police did not release details about her health and condition. Officers were investigating the home where the teen was found.
The girl ran away from home on Monday afternoon and had been untraceable since then. Because there were indications that she could be in Heveadorp or Oosterbeek, the area was combed by officers and volunteers, The search was carried out on the ground using horses and tracking dogs, and also from the air. The towns of Otterlo and Harskamp were also searched.
Police released a Missing Child bulletin on Wednesday, and it was upgraded to an Amber Alert on Thursday afternoon. Police use the Amber Alert system when they believe a child's life is in immediate danger. It is not yet known whether she was found as a result of the Amber Alert.
When the Amber Alert was released, police said they did not believe anyone else was involved in Karlijn's disappearance. The police issued the Amber Alert because they wanted to expand the search beyond a 30-kilometer radius from Arnhem, thinking their was a need to ask people to look for her nationwide.
"That area has been completely searched since Monday and she has not been found. With an Amber Alert we are expanding the call nationwide to keep a look out for the girl, because there are serious concerns about her health. She has lost weight and needs medical help," a police spokesperson said before she was found.
The search was made difficult because the search area is densely wooded. A police helicopter, a drone and a car with an infrared camera were also deployed on Wednesday. A helicopter also searched above the Veluwe woods on Thursday.
We vroegen eerder uw aandacht voor een urgente vermissing van een 17-jarig meisje uit Arnhem. Zij is aangetroffen in een woning in Arnhem. We doen daar nu onderzoek. ^SV
— Politie Gelderland (@POL_Gelderland) October 28, 2021
Reporting by ANP and NL Times