The Juneau Police Department is asking the public for help finding a teenage runaway whose recent activity, or lack thereof, has raised a red flag.
Trinity Hale, 17, ran away from her Juneau home in March, JPD Lt. Kris Sell said. Police returned Hale to her home that same month and she ran away again, but she later touched base with an adult in the area twice — on March 16 and May 5. Since her last check-in, adults responsible for Hale have not heard from her.
Lt. Sell said the situation alarmed the police department’s civilian crime analyst who said “something about this is concerning me,” adding that the radio silence seems out of character for Hale.
Hale has family ties in Anchorage and the Wasilla area, but officers aren’t sure she has left the Juneau area.
“We’re just concerned about her safety and that no responsible adult knows where she is or how she’s providing for herself,” Sell said.
Sell add that Hale only just turned 17 and could be getting by in some areas because she looks older and more capable of taking care of herself than she actually is.
“She might look like she’s over 18, and so maybe she’s not getting challenged very much, but we know she just turned 17,” she said.
[Read JPD’s press release in full here]
The only image of Hale JPD has is a screenshot of her Facebook profile photo, provided to them by a person cooperating with the search. The image can be seen here or on JPD’s Facebook page.
Sell said Hale, who was last enrolled at YaakoosgĂ© DaakahĂdi Alternative High School, is not in any trouble with the law and if she calls police she shouldn’t expect to be charged with anything.
Anyone with information is asked to call JPD at 586-0600, and to ask to speak directly to JPD Officer Blain Hatch who is collecting information about the case.
• Contact reporter Paula Ann Solis at 52-2272 or paula.solis@juneauempire.com.
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