Missing Alisa Petrov found safe more than 500 miles from home

A 15-year-old girl who disappeared nearly six weeks ago in Utah has been found safe in Colorado, more than 500 miles away from her home. Alisa Petrov, 15, from South Jordan, walked into the Colorado Springs Police Department on Sunday evening, bringing an end to her mysterious disappearance.

Although Petrov appeared to be in good health, authorities are still investigating how she ended up in Colorado and whether she was held against her will during her absence. Petrov had been reported missing on April 21, just two days after her last message to a 41-year-old man with whom she had been engaging in explicit sexual conversations.

The man, later identified as Samuel Teancum Mitchell, had been communicating with Petrov on Discord, a messaging platform. Their chats reportedly became increasingly sexual, with discussions about condoms, sex games, and plans to meet in person. Petrov had left her iPad behind in her bedroom, which contained evidence of their conversations, including the sharing of Snapchat usernames.

Mitchell was arrested and charged with five counts of sexual exploitation of a minor and enticement of a minor. Two other men, William Taylor Glines and Matthew Nicholas Menard, were also charged for communicating with Petrov before her disappearance. Glines is currently in custody in Texas, while Menard turned himself in on Wednesday night.

Glines faces charges of aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor, attempted aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor, and criminal solicitation. Menard, on the other hand, is charged with aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor, enticing a minor, and criminal solicitation.

Petrov was last seen on security video leaving a train platform in Provo before her disappearance. Her family had offered a $20,000 reward for any information leading to her safe return. The circumstances surrounding Petrov’s disappearance and sudden reappearance in Colorado remain under investigation as authorities work to piece together the events that led to her safe return.