UTAH TEEN MISSING SINCE 2025 FOUND SAFE IN OREGON
Kylie Arellano, a Utah teenager who vanished from her home in Garden City at age 15 in May 2025, was found safe in Oregon on November 1, 2026, the FBI said. A 39-year-old man who was with her was taken into custody without incident.
Kylie, now 17, was last seen by her family on May 29, 2025. According to NBC News, her mother, Stephanie Coleman, told Dateline that the two traded texts that night. “She goes, ‘I love you, Mama. Goodnight.’ I said, ‘I love you too, baby girl,'” Coleman recalled. “That was at 9:44 p.m. Her phone turned off at 9:52 p.m.”
The next morning, the family realized Kylie was gone. “Her jacket was in the drive — left in the driveway. Stuff was packed, her Xbox was gone,” Coleman said. She first thought her daughter may have left willingly, but came to believe Kylie never meant to be away this long.
The Rich County Sheriff’s Office chased possible sightings and combed through digital evidence, but Kylie stayed missing. “I am keeping hope Kylie is out there. I will never give up on Kylie,” Coleman told Dateline. She held on for more than 500 days.
The FBI Salt Lake City announced the recovery in a press release. Law enforcement in Oregon, working with the FBI and the Rich County Sheriff’s Office, found the teen. “She was located this afternoon in Oregon with a 39-year-old male, who was taken into custody without incident,” the release said.
The FBI said its investigation and the sheriff’s office’s had run for more than a year and followed leads from across the United States and other countries. Oregon State Police, FBI Portland and the Utah Department of Public Safety also helped. FBI Director Kash Patel said local Oregon police brought the minor to safety based on information from the FBI’s Salt Lake City field office.
“We are grateful she can return home, and we will continue working with our partners to hold those responsible accountable,” Patel said.
The FBI said the case is ongoing. “As this case is ongoing, no further information will be released at this time,” the release said.
Coleman posted the news to the “Help Bring Kylie Arellano Home” Facebook group, according to NBC News. “My babygirl was found SAFE today!! We did it KOAS ARMY.”
