Alabama police are searching for a 16-year-old girl who hasn’t been seen since Sunday.
According to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, Sarah Steele was reported missing from Etowah County in the Egypt community. She was last seen wearing a blue shirt and black and white checkered pants.
The Etowah County Sheriff’s Office reports that Steele may have her dog with her, a brown and white King Charles Spaniel dog named “Bear.”
WAAY 31 News reports that a social media post, possibly posted by Steele, indicated that she had been sexually abused and ran away from home. The sheriff’s office, however, has not confirmed the validity of the post and warned the public that “certain items” could slow down the investigation.
“We would like to remind everyone that posting certain items on social media start unnecessary rumors which can slow and hinder investigations.”
The Vice President of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, John Bischoff, told WAAY that he read the letter on social media and called the situation “heartbreaking.”
“When you see one of our missing child posters, don’t just walk by that poster,” he said. “Each one of those images in a missing child poster has most often a very horrific story behind it and those kids need our help. They need the community’s help to keep their eyes open.”
Steele is described as a white female who stands 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighs around 140 pounds. She has brown hair and hazel eyes.
Anyone with information on her whereabouts is urged to contact ECSO at 256-549-2893. You can also submit by email to tipline@etowahcounty.org, or to remain anonymous, contact Central Alabama Crime Stoppers at 334-215-STOP.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
[Feature Photo via Facebook]
