FBI recovers missing Utah teen in Oregon after 500 days

Fifty days of silence ended on Sunday afternoon when agents located a 17-year-old girl in Oregon. The teenager was reported missing in Garden City, Utah, in May 2025. That timeline marks more than 500 days between her disappearance and her recovery.

FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed the discovery in a written statement. He noted that local police in Oregon brought the minor to safety based on information from the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office. The girl was found in the company of a 39-year-old man. Authorities took him into custody without incident.

Patel directed a specific warning at groups targeting children. He told anyone using gore groups to exploit children that the FBI and its partners are coming for them. The statement emphasized a commitment to combat nihilistic violent extremism and bring offenders to justice.

The FBI and the Rich County Sheriff's Office have investigated the case since the girl went missing. The Rich County Sheriff's Office in Utah reposted the FBI update on social media. The announcement did not provide further details on the warning or the circumstances of the man's custody.

The FBI Salt Lake City office said it would continue working with partners to hold those responsible accountable. The agency expressed gratitude that the girl could return home. ABC News contacted the FBI Salt Lake City office for additional information on the recovery.

The case spans two states, with the initial report filed in Utah and the recovery executed in Oregon. The 39-year-old man remains in custody following the Sunday operation.