Missing Arkansas teen found safe in Florida

Conway, Arkansas – Tanvi Marupally, 15, who left Conway Jr. High School on January 17 and has been missing since has been discovered safe in Florida.

Prior to now, Tanvi’s family had indicated how difficult things had been for them. They speculate that she may have fled because Tanvi could have had to consider returning to India, which she didn’t want to do.

She had been missing for more than two months, during which time Conway residents conducted multiple fruitless searches.

A representative of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children explained that missing posters for Tanvi would be displayed on gas station screens in Arkansas, Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, and Tennessee—which started to appear on March 13—in an effort to broaden the search outside of Arkansas.

She has reportedly been located thanks to a tip from a Tampa neighbor, and her parents have already been informed.

“They recognized a situation. They may have recognized the child. They took a quick picture and sent it to our call center,” said John Bischoff, Vice President of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Tanvi was located with the assistance of the Tampa Police Department and Conway Police.

Officers from the Conway Police Department are now traveling to Florida to bring her back.

“In reality, all it really takes is one set of eyes to be a hero and that citizen is it today,” said Bischoff.