A 15-year-old girl from Utah who went missing in April has been found safe and in good health in Colorado Springs, authorities confirmed on Sunday night. Alisa Petrov walked into the Colorado Springs police department and identified herself, according to Sergeant Shaun Becker.
Alisa was last seen on 21 April, captured on surveillance footage leaving a train platform in Provo. She had been reported missing after failing to attend classes at Canyon Grove Academy in American Fork. Instead, she purchased supplies at a nearby petrol station and persuaded a man to drive her to a local train station.
From there, she travelled to Provo, where she reportedly sought help to buy a bus ticket to Las Vegas. Her goal was to meet 35-year-old Matthew Nicholas Menard, with whom she had been in contact. The teen had saved about $1,000 from birthday gifts and allowance money, which she kept after turning 15 on 16 April.
Investigators have not disclosed how she reached Colorado or whether she was coerced during her time away. Detectives are now coordinating efforts to reunite Alisa with her family. Her father, Nikolai Petrov, expressed relief, saying the family's priority was her safe return rather than pursuing arrests.
In a Facebook post, Nikolai Petrov wrote: 'We are all really happy that Alisa is found and looking forward to seeing her! Special thanks to the South Jordan Police Department who worked on weekends, and to the Salt Lake City FBI who helped them.' A more detailed statement is expected as authorities work on an official news release.
