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Sherburne County Amber Alert details
Authorities offer details on an Amber Alert issued in Sherburne County on Wednesday for a 7-year-old girl that has since been canceled, saying they are investigating a "social media tie" between the potential suspect and victim.
SHERBURNE CO., Minn. (FOX 9) - Authorities in Sherburne County are again warning the public about the perils of social media use among minors after a 7-year-old girl was abducted in Zimmerman and found safe hours later.
Zimmerman Amber Alert issued
What we know:
According to Sherburne County Sheriff’s Office Commander Ben Zawacki, around 6:31 p.m. the department received a call regarding a missing 7-year-old girl who was abducted in the City of Zimmerman.
Deputies were informed she usually exited a school bus around 4 p.m., but miscommunication among family led to confusion about where she could have been dropped off after the bus had stopped.
After checking with neighbors, 911 was then contacted by the family.
Amber Alert search
Dig deeper:
Several agencies responded to the area to a scene that was "chaotic," according to Zawacki.
Authorities responded to several tips, and an Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) notification was then sent out to Sherburne County for residents to aid in the investigation. At that point in time, the criteria for an Amber Alert had not yet been met, Zawacki says.
During a continued investigation, authorities came to believe that the girl had been the victim of a stranger abduction, and a suspect had come into focus.
A white pickup truck was learned to possibly be involved and investigators worked to determine the location of the suspect. Authorities say they made a decision at that point not to issue an Amber Alert in an effort not to tip them off.
Zawacki says an Amber Alert was then issued once law enforcement was in a position to potentially apprehend the suspect.
Shortly before 1 a.m. the white pickup was located, along with the missing girl, while the suspect was taken into custody without incident.
The search was a coordinated effort between the Sherburne County Sheriff's Office, Elk River Police Department, FBI, and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA).
According to Zawacki, law enforcement estimates roughly 200 personnel assisted, and more than 700 community members assisted in the investigation.
What they're saying:
"Without [community] assistance and the assistance of all our partners, I don’t believe we would have came to this outcome," Zawacki said during a press conference on Thursday.
Zawacki also said that there was a social media tie between the victim and suspect.
"We tell parents to monitor the social media use by their children, especially young children. There’s just way too much access by people who would want to do harm," Zawacki said.
What's next:
A suspect is currently in Sherburne County Jail awaiting charges.
An investigation into the incident remains ongoing.