The Angleton Police Department announced that they have located the 13-year-old girl who went missing, triggering an Amber Alert on Wednesday evening. According to a news release from the department, they received a 911 call on Tuesday reporting the teenager’s disappearance. The caller informed the officers that Karley Smart had run away and was last seen at her residence around 2 p.m.

Who is Karley Smart?

On Tuesday, January 2, 2024, 13-year-old girl Karley Smart was reported missing. The incident took place in Angleton, specifically in the 200 block of Austin Street, just before 5 p.m. that afternoon. Karley is a student at Angleton Junior High, according to reports. The Angleton police were notified about a runaway case on the same day. Acting swiftly, the officers managed to get in touch with one of Karley’s friends, who revealed rumors about her female friends assisting her in running away.

Shortly after her disappearance, the police received a video showing a person believed to be Karley walking down the street near her house, carrying a backpack. Hours later, the Angleton Police Department shared on social media that Karley had been found, but no further information was provided.

Missing 13-year-old found after disappearing on Austin Street in Angleton on Tuesday

After hours of intense investigation following an Amber Alert, the search for a missing 13-year-old girl has finally come to an end. The entire community received a local Amber Alert on Wednesday evening, notifying them about the disappearance of Karley Smart. The Texas Department of Public Safety reported that Karley was last seen entering a blue truck around 5 p.m. in the 200 block of Austin Street.

However, the Angleton Police Department has a different perspective on the situation. They have not found any evidence to support the claim that Karley got into a blue truck, leading them to suspect that she may have run away. Surveillance footage from earlier in the day shows Karley walking near her home with a backpack around 2 p.m. As a precaution, the police department decided to involve the DPS in the investigation.

In a press release, the Angleton police said, “Texas DPS Amber Alert criteria states that a child 13 years of age or younger who was taken (willingly or unwillingly) without permission from the care and custody of a parent or legal guardian by someone unrelated and more than three years older constitutes for an Amber Alert.”