Columbus police didn't notice a missing girl who was in a car during a traffic stop earlier this month.
A 12-year-old girl was reported missing on Wednesday, July 16. The following Monday, July 21, the girl was a passenger in a vehicle that police stopped, but officers didn't notice that she had been reported as missing. They allowed her to leave the scene.
CPD's Missing Persons Unit later found out about the traffic stop, and were able to track down the adult woman who was seen with the missing girl during the stop. Police found the girl and the woman on Tuesday, July 22 in the area of West Broad Street and North Burgess Avenue.
The girl was unharmed and was returned to her parents. The 36-year-old woman was charged with not having a valid driver's license and was arrested for an outstanding misdemeanor warrant for disorderly conduct.
CPD spokesman Sgt. Joe Albert said Columbus Division of Police recognizes "the serious nature of this incident and the concerns it raises."
"Every missing person report is treated seriously, and we expect officers to take every step necessary to ensure the safety and well-being of all juveniles involved in any police interaction," Albert wrote in a statement.
CPD's Internal Affairs Bureau is investigating to see if any policies or procedures were violated during the traffic stop.
