Runaway Juveniles from Florida located

FORT PAYNE, Ala. – On Tuesday, April 9, 2024, Detectives from Lee County Sheriff’s Office in Fort Myers, Florida contacted the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Unit for assistance in locating two runaway female juveniles in which they had received intel showing the juveniles were possibly at an address near Kilpatrick.  Investigators and deputies went to the address and were able to locate the juveniles. The Alabama Department of Human Resources was contacted and the juveniles were turned over to the juvenile authorities and will be returned to Florida.

During the investigation, Aura Sanchez-Lopez (41 of Kilpatrick) was arrested and charged with Interference with Custody (x2) and Obstructing Government Operations (x2). 

Aura Sanchez-Lopez.png
Aura Sanchez-Lopez (41 of Kilpatrick)

Evidence collected from the scene was turned over to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office for analysis. This is an ongoing investigation and more charges are possible.

DeKalb County Sheriff Nick Welden said of the incident: “I’m proud of the quick response taken by the Investigators in this case to safely locate the juveniles.  I would like to thank the Lee County Sheriff’s Office for reaching out to us so that the juveniles can be returned to their family in Florida, as well as the investigators and deputies who worked tirelessly to successfully locate these children.  Children are the most precious gifts, and our agency will always do whatever it takes to protect them.”

“God Bless!” Concluded Sheriff Welden.