Digital Forensics Dispatch

Missing 14 Year Old from Virginia Located Safe in Arkansas

February 15, 2022

According to a recent article from WHSV.com, Rea-Anna Allen, a 14 year old from Frederick County Virginia, was located safely thanks in part to digital forensics over a thousand miles away from home in Arkansas.

Allen left her home around 11 a.m. on a Sunday morning but when she didn’t return as expected, her family reported her missing. Investigators from Frederick County reportedly used digital forensics to build a time line of her movements over several days in their attempts to locate the child. Using cell tower location techniques, the investigators could tell that Allen’s phone appeared to have left Fredrick County and was traveling in a vehicle on or around I-81 heading south.

Working with other law enforcement agencies in Tennessee and Arkansas, they were able to continue to track the cell phone’s movement. Officers would then check video surveillance footage at locations where it appeared she may have stopped for clues as to who she might be traveling with and the vehicle they were using.

Investigators also leveraged the power of social media to spread the word of Allen’s disappearance and requested information from the public. These posts were reportedly shared over 3,000 times and reached upwards of 170,000 social media users.

All of their efforts paid off when Rae-Anna was located during the execution of an overnight search warrant in Hempstead County Arkansas. She was found with 22 year old Christopher Stone of Hope Arkansas. Stone is charged with abduction in Virginia and will likely face additional charges in Arkansas.

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