UPDATE: Missing teens hitched ride to Gila River reservation

Four teens that went missing last month had asked a Walmart employee for a ride out of town, a Maricopa Police Department spokesperson said. 

Maricopa police and Gila River Police Department are still searching for the four at-risk “runaway” teens ages 13 to 17, who reportedly ran away from a group home Jan. 27, said Monica Williams. 

The teens “left the group home with their belongings late in the evening,” Williams told InMaricopa.  

“Sometime shortly after 11:30 pm on the 27th, they approached a gentleman who had just completed his shift at Walmart and requested a ride to the Sacaton District of the Gila River Indian Community,” Williams said. He gave the teens a ride. 

MPD took a report the following day, and requested the public’s help finding the teens Sunday, Feb. 4. 

Williams explained the initial report did not indicate the girls were “endangered or abducted,” and that MPD followed their procedures for handling runaway children. 

The procedures “include following any initial leads and issuing media releases when necessary,” Williams said. “In this case, we later learned one teen has a medical condition requiring medication, elevating the circumstances and placing her at more risk.” 

Maricopa police have notified Gila River PD about the teens’ ride from Walmart to Sacaton, Williams said. Two of the teens are members of Gila River Indian Community. 

Gila River Police will follow up within their jurisdiction. 

“At this point in our investigation there are no indications of foul play,” Maricopa Police Chief Mark Goodman said about the investigation.  MPD is still trying to find the teens.

Arizona Department of Public Safety released more detailed descriptions of the missing teens (photos above):  

Velma Fulwilder
Age: 17
Sex: Female
Race: Indian
Height: 5’2″
Weight: 176
Hair: Black
Eyes: Brown  

Harmony Davis 
Age: 14
Sex: Female
Race: Indian
Height: 5’6″
Weight: 205
Hair: Black
Eyes: Brown  

Laina Osife 
Age: 14
Sex: Female
Race: Indian
Height: 5’0″
Weight: 114
Hair: Black
Eyes: Brown

Annabelle Barrientos 
Age: 13
Sex: Female
Race: White
Height: 5’4″
Weight: 209
Hair: Black
Eyes: Brown
  

Contact MPD at 520-568-3673 to report information or the whereabouts of the teens.