Missing Washington Girl Found After Police Thought She Was Kidnapped, But What Really Happened?

By Jeff Stone | August 02 2012 7:28 PM

A missing Washington girl was found on Wednesday shortly after an Amber alert was issued. Vivian Gasper-Guerrero, 16, was thought by her police and family to be kidnapped until law enforcement asked her boyfriend to contact them immediately if she called him. Chief Criminal Deputy Dean Byrd said the boyfriend contacted authorities quickly, according to the Associated Press.

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Vivian Gasper-Guerrero, 16, cut a hole in her screened bedroom window and made her room look like a struggle had taken place. On Wednesday, the FBI got involved, and an Amber Alert was issued until she was later found. But why did she run away in the first place?

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Before Gasper-Guerrero ran away from her home in Shelton, Wash., she slashed the screen on her bedroom to make it appear as if she was kidnapped. She was last seen on Tuesday night around 9 p.m., but when he parents saw the cut screen and her room in disarray, they immediately called the police, who agreed it looked like a textbook abduction. Although scant details were released about the specifics of the situation, authorities did tell the AP that Gasper-Guerrero did not have a history of running away.

Gasper-Guerrero was found in northeast Shelton near a former boyfriend's house. Shelton is located about 50 miles south of Seattle.

Before she was found, the FBI had joined the search on Wednesday, according to what a Washington State Patrol Trooper told the AP. At the time, authorities had no idea what happened to Gasper-Guerrero.

"We believe that, more likely than not, this is a legitimate abduction," police chief Byrd said. He later added that they had no leads, although later he said, "We know absolutely it was not an abduction."

The Amber Alert was issued on Wednesday, as noted by the Inquisitr.

The question remains, though, as to why she left home in the first place. KidsHealth.org points out the most common reasons for running away are abuse, problems at school, peer pressure, a family conflict, drug use or a death in the family.

The Gasper-Guerrero family and police have remained mum about the situation since Vivian's disappearance made national news, but the fact that she was found near a former boyfriend's home and contacted him could suggest she left because of a relationship with the young man.

Byrd said the boyfriend wasn't involved in her disappearance, and the Olympian reports Vivian has been described as a shy girl, as well as a good student. Gasper-Guerrero left her cell phone in her room before she ran away, one of the reasons police thought she had been abducted. The chief said that if they can prove she intentionally made her room look like a struggle had taken place, something he admitted is unlikely, she could face criminal charges.

Somehow, though, she traveled more than 20 miles, and no one seems quite sure why.