- An Ogden girl, 13, was found safe in Colorado after an Amber Alert was issued in the search.
- The Amber Alert was issued at 5 p.m. and canceled by 7 p.m.
- Suspect Christopher Wiggins, a registered sex offender, is in custody, police said.
OGDEN — An Ogden girl whose disappearance prompted an Amber Alert on Wednesday has been found safe in Colorado, police said.
The man who police suspect took the girl from her Ogden home has been taken into custody, the Ogden Police Department said in a prepared statement.
An Amber Alert was issued about 5 p.m. after the 13-year-old girl had been reported missing earlier in the afternoon.
Police said they suspected 34-year-old Christopher Thomas Wiggins had taken the girl from her home in Ogden. The Amber Alert noted Wiggins is a registered sex offender. Court documents show he has a prior conviction from 2011 of two counts of unlawful sexual activity with a minor.
The girl's mother told KSL that Wiggins lived with the family.
The teen was located near Fort Collins, Colorado, about 7 p.m., and sheriff's deputies apprehended Wiggins, police said. Police did not immediately say how they were able to find girl and Wiggins.
The girl's mother said the family is still shaken up, but they're grateful for the outcome.
"I still have a hole in my stomach, but knowing she is safe makes me feel a little bit better knowing that she's OK," the mom said.
The family was en route Wednesday night to reunite the teen in Colorado.
Earlier on Wednesday, police said Wiggins had a handgun and was traveling in a white Hyundai Sonata.
Federal and local victim services are being coordinated to support the teen in Fort Collins, Colorado, until she is reunited with her family.
"The Ogden Police Major Crimes Bureau is actively working with federal partners and multiple law enforcement agencies in Colorado as we move into the next phase of this investigation. The extent of criminal charges has not yet been determined," police said in a news release late Wednesday.
The mother said she last saw her daughter right before she went to bed Tuesday night.
"I told her I loved her. I'd see her in the morning — and then when I went to go get her this morning, she wasn't home; she was gone," the mother said.
She said Wiggins was a family friend. The mother, who became emotional speaking to KSL, said early Wednesday she noticed that Wiggins' car was gone. When she went to her daughter's room to check on her around 10 a.m., she wasn't there.
She said she thought her daughter went for a ride in the canyon. The mother tried calling her, but she was seemingly disconnected. "(It) just goes straight to voicemail; she's blocked all of her family on Facebook and Instagram and Snapchat; nobody can get ahold of her," she said.
Police said Wiggins was not permitted to have contact with the girl.
The Ogden Police Department said the safety and well-being of the teen was their highest priority and expressed gratitude to the public and partnering agencies in Colorado for their swift response.
"When incidents like this occur, the Ogden Police Department will relentlessly pursue those who threaten the safety of our residents, especially our children. Our officers will leverage every available tool and resource to track down offenders and bring them to justice. With the suspect now in custody, we will work closely with prosecutors to ensure the case is pursued to the fullest extent of the law," Ogden Police Chief Jake Sube said in a statement.
The girl's mother also thanked anyone who contributed to finding her daughter.
"She is coming home, and it is thanks to everybody that has watched who has called in who has helped us," she said.
Contributing: Garna Mejia
