A 15-year-old girl from North Carolina, who was the subject of an AMBER Alert, has been found safe.
Yesenia Denise Lopez had gone missing from her home in Seven Springs, a small community in Lenoir County, late Saturday night. According to the Lenoir County Sheriff’s Office, she was last seen just after 11 p.m. Thankfully, not long after the alert went out, she was located safe and sound.
While the details of her disappearance and recovery haven’t been shared yet, the Sheriff’s Office expressed gratitude to several agencies that helped in the search. They thanked the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office, the North Carolina Bureau of Investigation, and the FBI for their support in bringing Yesenia home.
The National Center for Missing and Endangered also pitched in by sharing the AMBER Alert widely through their network, helping spread the word quickly.
For those who may not be familiar, AMBER Alerts are issued when police believe a child under 17 has been abducted and is in immediate danger. It’s a tool meant to rally communities and law enforcement to act fast, and it certainly worked in Yesenia’s case. Hers was the only active AMBER Alert in North Carolina before it was canceled after she was found safe.
According to the North Carolina Center for Missing Persons, the state has dealt with more than 13,000 missing person cases so far this year. While most have been resolved, nearly 600 cases remain open. Out of these, over 8,100 involve juveniles like Yesenia.
The Center also shared that there have been 11 AMBER Alerts in North Carolina this year, while six cases required Ashanti Alerts, which are for adults aged 18 to 64. Interestingly, no silver alerts (for people 65 and older) or blue alerts (for endangered law enforcement officers) have been issued in 2024.
The outcome of this story is a relief, as Yesenia was found unharmed. It also serves as a reminder of the importance of community awareness and quick action in situations like this. Authorities haven’t shared more about what happened yet, but everyone is thankful for the collaborative effort that led to her safe return.
