DILLON - The Beaverhead County Dispatch Center was advised of a Be On the Lookout Out (BOLO) for a female who fled Utah after taking four children she did not have custody of on Feb. 13 at approximately 7 a.m.
The female was believed to be armed and dangerous and threatening harm if confronted.
Cedar City Utah police tracked her cell phone south of the Clark Canyon Dam. Deputies — with help from the Montana Highway Patrol — searched the area but were unable to locate her due to delayed information on her location.
Beaverhead County Dispatch Center received a tip at around 4 p.m. from a missing children specialist with the State of Montana with an updated location, vehicle information, and the license plate number of the female suspect.
The Beaverhead County Sheriff’s Office, Dillon Police Department, and Montana Highway Patrol began looking for a U-Haul trailer rented by one of the suspects. Officers stopped a twenty-six-foot U-Haul traveling North on I-15 just south of Dillon. One male suspect was taken into custody and one of the four missing children was safely recovered.
After interviews and investigation, officials learned that the non-custodial mother and three remaining children were at a hotel in Missoula. Officials also learned that the mother had another 16-year-old male helping her flee with the children.
Deputies contacted the Missoula Police Department. which led to the location of the female suspect and the children. A social media post states that "After a nearly four-hour event, Missoula Police were able to safely make entry into the hotel room and arrest the female suspect and safely recover the remaining missing children."
The suspects were taken into custody and all the children were safely returned to their parents. The suspects are being held pending several charges including custodial interference and kidnapping. They will be transported back to Utah.
"Without the quick response from multiple agencies, this may not have ended so successfully. The Beaverhead County Sheriff’s Office extends our immense gratitude to our amazing dispatchers, our deputies, the Dillon Police Department, Montana Highway Patrol, the Missoula Police Department and their helpful dispatch center, and the dispatchers and officers of Cedar City Utah. The teamwork and dedication of everyone involved made a serious and dangerous situation turn out with a positive outcome." - Beaverhead County Sheriff David Wendt
