Arizona issued its first-ever Turquoise Alert on Wednesday as part of an urgent search for six-year-old Violet Coultas-Benson, who was seen with her non-custodial mother, Sarah, thousands of miles from home.
The alert—sent to phones across the entire state—was triggered after the child, originally reported missing in Hawaii, was spotted with her mother at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport on July 12. She had last been seen in South Kona, Hawaii, on July 6.
An arrest warrant was issued for Sarah by Hawaiian authorities for allegedly violating a court order. The Arizona Department of Public Safety said the case met the criteria for a Turquoise Alert, which is used when a missing person under 65 is believed to be in danger and local resources have been exhausted.
However, just hours after the alert was issued, it was canceled Thursday morning at the request of Hawaii law enforcement. Violet has since been located, according to Arizona DPS.
What is a Turquoise Alert?
Arizona’s Turquoise Alert system is a new public safety alert launched to help locate missing people under suspicious circumstances when they’re under age 65 and believed to be in danger. It is designed especially to improve outcomes for vulnerable populations, including missing Indigenous individuals.
To issue a Turquoise Alert:
-
The person must be under 65 and believed to be in danger.
-
Local law enforcement must have exhausted all available resources.
-
The person must have gone missing under suspicious or unexplained circumstances.
-
There must be enough information available to the public that could help locate the individual.
How it differs from other alerts:
-
Amber Alert: Used when a child is believed to have been abducted and is in imminent danger.
-
Silver Alert: Issued for missing seniors or individuals with cognitive disabilities.
-
Blue Alert: Issued when a law enforcement officer has been attacked or is missing.
Governor Katie Hobbs called the Turquoise Alert a “critical communication tool,” highlighting its importance in addressing Arizona’s long-standing crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous people.
This article has been carefully fact-checked by our editorial team to ensure accuracy and eliminate any misleading information. We are committed to maintaining the highest standards of integrity in our content.
Katie is a senior who has been on staff for three years. Her favorite type of stories to write is reviews and features. Katie’s favorite ice cream flavor is strawberry.
Leave a Reply