Lynden teen found out of state after going missing over the weekend, police chief says
A Lynden teenager who went missing over the weekend has been found safe, according to Lynden Police Chief Steve Taylor.
Arianna Quinonez, 16, was last seen on Saturday, Sept. 30, at about 3:30 p.m.
The Washington State Patrol activated an Endangered Missing Persons Advisory (EMPA) for Quinonez on behalf of the Lynden Police Department due to concern about her safety.
Taylor confirmed early Wednesday that Quinonez was found safe Tuesday in California with some friends that she went to visit without her family’s permission or knowledge.
Quinonez met those friends through the online gaming community. In a Monday telephone call with The Bellingham Herald, Taylor said Quinonez was home-schooled and many of her friends were online in other areas of the country.
“She’s fine and arrangements are being made to get her back home,” Taylor told The Herald. “All’s well that ends well. She’s OK.”
The Washington State Endangered Missing Persons Advisory (EMPA) Plan was incorporated into the Revised Code of Washington under section 13.60.050 in June 2010. Originally intended as an alternative to the AMBER Alert Plan, the EMPA covers many types of endangered missing person incidents, according to the Washington State Patrol.
The plan allows for a law enforcement agency to get information about a person who is believed to be in danger and unable to return to safety on their own. The EMPA assists in disseminating information about a person to the media, public, and local law enforcement agencies to ensure a safe return as quickly as possible.
A list of criteria must be met in order for an EMPA to be issued:
▪ It can be a person of any age who is missing and in danger because of age, physical or mental health, severe weather conditions and not being able to return to safety without assistance.
▪ Enough information must be available to assist in the recovery of the missing person.
▪ The missing person must be reported to by law enforcement for investigation.
