Minneapolis 12-year-old found safe after going missing near Minnehaha Falls over weekend

Minneapolis police say a 12-year-old has been found after going missing from Minnehaha Falls at 8 p.m. Saturday. 

“It was her, and I screamed, and I grabbed her, and I embraced her. I’m still in disbelief. But we are so grateful,” said the girl’s mom. “People’s kids don’t come home. We are grateful that ours did.” 

Police Chief Brian O’Hara said the girl was home safe with her family Tuesday evening. 

“It’s a moment of immense relief,” said O’Hara.

Officials say the girl returned home Tuesday with a friend and the friend’s parent. Once returning home, her father says the girl apologized.

“At this time, it appears she was at a friend’s house,” said O’Hara. “It’s a place police had visited multiple times. It’s a place the stepmother had been in communication with.” 

Hours prior to her safe return, police sent out an emergency alert to thousands of phones, hoping to drum up leads.

Family members’ concerns over a lack of insulin for the girl, who has Type 1 diabetes, led to heightened search efforts. Police searched for the girl on foot and by drone and had help from other law enforcement agencies and members of the nonprofit Northstar Search and Rescue.

Longtime family friends Danielle Matthias and Jackie Robinson were going door-to-door, handing out fliers in hopes of finding the girl. 

“I want to give a big shoutout to our unhoused population. They’ve been very helpful. They’ve been helping canvas,” Robinson said. 

Robinson started a Facebook page on Monday as a central space to communicate.

“Everyone’s been opening the door, you know, like that’s another thing, is when you knock on a door, you don’t know if people are going to answer, but people are answering and they know her name,” Robinson said. “We’re looking for her; our kids go to school with her.”

The girl’s mother has one advice for young kids, who might be in the same situation.

“I’m glad that she is safe. But I want to let people know, don’t hide your friends,” said the 12-year-old’s mom.

Authorities said they will continue investigating, but believe the girl ran away from home.