CHILLICOTHE, Ohio — A missing Ross County teenager, Whitney Hatfield, has been located in Salem, Oregon, after an extensive search that lasted several months.
In a social media statement, Hatfield’s family announced that they received a call a few hours ago confirming her safety. “She is safe and in the hands of the police department where she was located,” the family said.
The family requested privacy as they work to bring Whitney home.
Rescue 101 SAR, Inc., a local search and rescue group that has been actively involved in the search, released a statement on Thursday celebrating the news. “Whitney Hatfield has been located! We are raising funds to cover the expenses for a team member to fly to the state where Whitney is currently located at the request of her family, rent a car, pick her up, and purchase a ticket for Whitney to return safely,” the statement read.
The group is accepting donations to assist with the expenses via a fundraising link: https://www.zeffy.com/fundraising/8f927a9e-2590-475f-bd92-7d36cbc4de3e.
Hatfield, 16, was last seen at her residence on Main Street in South Salem on March 7. Search efforts included K-9 units and volunteers, who tracked her from her home to her last known location before she was potentially picked up.
The details surrounding her disappearance and how she ended up in Oregon have not been disclosed.