Amber Alert Issued for Missing 13-Year-Old in Ohio, Suspect Arrested in Springfield
An Amber Alert issued on Friday for a missing 13-year-old girl from Columbus has been canceled after she was found safe at 6:19 p.m. in Springfield. The suspect, 48-year-old Shane Smith, was arrested later that evening around 8:10 p.m. in Springfield.
Springfield police confirmed that the teenager was safely located in their city, and Smith, a Springfield resident, was taken into custody. Authorities had previously warned that Smith may have been armed and dangerous.
Court documents reveal that Smith was familiar with the girl and her family. He allegedly coerced her into running away with him to start a new life together in another state. The documents also claim that Smith and the girl had been in a sexual relationship. Smith has been charged with kidnapping.
In addition to the kidnapping charge, Smith has ongoing legal issues. He was indicted for felonious assault with a firearm in October 2023 and faced another indictment in February 2024 for cocaine possession.
The Amber Alert had been issued around 3:45 p.m., and authorities are urging anyone with additional information to contact 911 or call 877-AMBER-OH.
