Missing Utah Teen Found Safe in Oregon After 521 Days

Arellano was 15 when she disappeared from her family’s home in Garden City, Utah, on May 29, 2025. Oregon officers located her on November 1 after a search lasting 521 days, involving the FBI, the Rich County Sheriff’s Office and other state and federal agencies. Investigators pursued leads across the United States and abroad, and the search included public appeals for information.

A 39-year-old man found with Arellano was taken into custody without incident. Authorities have not released his identity or specified any charges. A law enforcement source said the man allegedly contacted her on Snapchat before she went missing. The investigation remains active.

FBI Director Kash Patel said the bureau’s Salt Lake City office provided information that helped Oregon police bring Arellano to safety. He said she could return home and that authorities would continue working to hold those responsible accountable. Patel also warned people using online “gore groups” to target children that the FBI and its partners were pursuing them.

The FBI has described groups such as 764 as using online chats to manipulate minors and coerce them into sexual exploitation, self-harm or violence. Its warning came amid public attention on the disappearance and the investigation. Search warrants previously raised questions about Arellano’s mother, Stephanie Coleman, including a past allegation that she choked her daughter and missing text messages. Coleman denied abusing her child and said she had tried to get law enforcement agencies to find her.