Police: 10-year-old girl reported missing from Iron County last summer found safe in Florida

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ENOCH, Iron County — A 10-year-old girl who was reported missing from Iron County last summer has been found safe, authorities confirmed.

Ariana Bozeman was found with her mother, Dawn Marie Closson, near Lake City, Florida, according to Enoch Police Sgt. Isaac Askeroth. Florida news reports indicate she was found early Wednesday morning.

Ariana was first reported missing on Aug. 11, 2018, according to a notice from the Utah Department of Public Safety.

This week, a bystander came in contact with Ariana and the people who were with her in Florida, according to Askeroth. The person thought that something wasn’t right when they encountered the group, he said.

The person searched the internet and found news stories about Ariana from last August and then contacted police in Enoch, Askeroth said. Police then were able to locate Closson and the child at a rest stop off of I-75 in Florida, he added.

Enoch was the last Utah place Ariana lived before she was reported missing, Askeroth said.

Ariana appeared to be healthy and was reunited with her biological father, Adrian Bozeman, who was awarded custody of Ariana last year, according to Askeroth. They did not return to Enoch, he added.

Closson, 34, remained in jail in Columbia County, Florida as of Thursday afternoon, Askeroth said. He was not sure if she would be brought back to Utah.

In September, Closson was charged with custodial interference across state lines, a third-degree felony, in Fifth District Court in Iron County, according to court documents. A warrant for her arrest was issued October 3.

Closson had interfered with Bozeman’s custody of Ariana, according to charging documents. There also was evidence that Closson had taken Ariana out of Utah, charging documents state.

Adrian Bozeman was awarded custody of Ariana on June 15, 2018, according to DPS. An emergency pickup order was issued by a Cedar City judge on June 27, authorizing law enforcement agencies to immediately pick up Ariana and deliver her to Adrian Bozeman, the DPS notice states.

Adrian Bozeman then contacted police in July 2018, according to Enoch Police Chief Jackson Ames. Police believed that Closson and Ariana had not been in Utah since January 2018, Ames told KSL.com in August.

The court case regarding Ariana’s custody took place in Iron County, Askeroth said. The FBI in Salt Lake City and St. George Police assisted Enoch Police with the investigation, he added.