Turquoise Alert signed into Arizona law for missing Native people
Gov. Katie Hobbs formally signed the bill “Emily’s Law,” which created a new “Turquoise Alert” in honor of slain San Carlos Apache teen Emily Pike.
A Turquoise Alert issued for a young girl, last seen at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport with her noncustodial mother, was canceled, according to the Arizona Department of Public Safety.
DPS issued a Turquoise Alert on July 23 for Violet Coultas, 6, stating the Hawaii Police Department was looking for her and her mother, Sarah Coultas, 48.
Sarah Coultas did not have custody of Violet and was believed to have fled Hawaii with the girl, in violation of a court order, DPS said.
Violet Coultas was last seen on July 12 at about 10 p.m. on surveillance video at Sky Harbor Airport, DPS said.
Shortly after the alert was issued July 23, Sarah Coultas made phone calls to family members in Hawaii, disclosing that the pair were staying in Cottonwood at a local shelter, according to the Cottonwood Police Department.
That information was shared with the FBI, which then contacted the department.
Around 11:30 p.m. July 23, the FBI provided updated details to police. At the same time, a staff member at the shelter became aware of the alert and contacted the Arizona Department of Child Safety, according to police.
Officers were already on the way to the shelter and located the pair around 1 a.m. July 24, police said.
Sarah Coultas was taken into custody without incident on a nationwide felony warrant out of Hawaii related to a custodial interference investigation, police said.
Violet Coultas was found “safe, asleep and undisturbed” and remained in shelter staff’s care until DCS arrived and took custody.
Early in the morning on July 24, Violet Coultas was listed as “located” on the DPS website.
“This case underscores the value of Arizona’s newly implemented Turquoise Alert system in helping to safely recover endangered individuals,” said Sgt. Chad Sinn with the Cottonwood Police Department.
(This story has been updated to add more information.)