The Arizona Department of Public Safety issued the state’s first-ever “Turquoise Alert” at 10:01 p.m. on Wednesday, July 23, in connection with a 6-year-old girl, Violet Coultas-Benson, who had been taken from Hawaii by her mother, Sarah Coultas, 48.
According to the Cottonwood Police Department, the girl and her mother were located a short time later at a women’s shelter in Cottonwood.
Police on the Big Island of Hawai’i reported that Coultas, was named as a non-custodial parent by law enforcement, had been wanted for questioning in a custodial interference investigation involving her daughter and was wanted for an outstanding arrest warrant, according to the DPS notice.
Hawai’i Island Police learned that the pair were believed to be in Arizona, specifically at Sky Harbor International Airport, prompting DPS to issue the Turquoise Alert:
“Public safety message: This is the Arizona Department of Public Safety. A Turquoise Alert has been issued for Arizona. Hawaii Police Department is looking for 6 year old white female Violet Coultas last seen with non custodial mother Sarah Coultas, 48 year old white female, 5 feet 11, 160 pounds, brown hair, hazel eyes. Contact 911 with any information or sighting.“
At around 11:30 p.m., the FBI contacted CPD with information indicating that Coutlas and her daughter may be in the Cottonwood area.
“Officers immediately began working to develop leads and quickly narrowed down a possible location,” CPD stated in a press release. “By approximately 1 a.m. on [Thursday] July 24, Cottonwood officers located the pair at a local women’s shelter. Sarah Coultas was taken into custody without incident on a nationwide felony warrant out of Hawaii related to a custodial interference investigation.”
The girl was found safe, asleep and undisturbed and remained in the care police and shelter staff until the Arizona Department of Child Safety arrived and took custody, CPD stated. The Turquoise Alert was canceled following the girl’s recovery.
CPD “extends their sincere thanks to the FBI, Arizona Department of Public Safety, and the shelter staff for their quick response and teamwork in bringing this situation to a safe and successful resolution.”
The Turquoise Alert system established through House Bill 2281 “Missing Indigenous Person; Alert System,” signed into law by Gov. Katie Hobbs on May 13, and is officially titled “Emily’s Law” in honor of San Carlos Apache tribal member Emily Pike, who went missing Jan. 27 and was found dead near Globe on Feb. 14.
Turquoise Alerts will be activated when a tribal member goes missing under unexplained or suspicious circumstances and is believed to be endangered and requires:
- Local law enforcement has exhausted all available resources.
- There is reason to believe the individual is in danger or in the company of a potentially dangerous person.
- Sufficient descriptive information is available to assist in their recovery.
- The missing person is under 65 years of age.
