SOUTH JORDAN — Now more than five weeks since she was last seen, the investigation into a 15-year-old girl’s disappearance has revealed little information about where she is, but it has turned up a growing string of adult men now accused of sexual exploitation.
15-year-old Alisa Petrov vanished on April 21.
On Wednesday, 41-year-old Samuel Teancum Mitchell of Herriman was arrested on suspicion of sexual exploitation of a minor and enticing a minor.
Police in jail documents said Petrov used a hidden iPad to communicate with Mitchell, apparently even asking to be kidnapped, and then engaging in sexual discussions.
Mitchell was the third man arrested in connection with the case, with other arrestees coming from Texas and Florida.
At the Utah Attorney General’s Office, Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force educator Michelle Busch-Upwall constantly advocates to parents and others in hopes of avoiding these types of outcomes.
She told KSL TV on Thursday that local cases that make the news can be examples for parents to share with children of what can go wrong online.
“People don’t think it’s going to happen to them — specifically, kids,” Busch-Upwall said. “Even using local stories to show that is really important, and there are plenty of them out there.”
Busch-Upwall said parents should watch for changes of behavior in their children, as those can be critical indicators that a predator might be lurking.
“You know your kids,” Busch-Upwall explained. “You know how they act. If they’re pulling away, if they’re online all the time — looking for these different things that are happening with their behaviors is a sure sign that something is going on with them. You know, low grades, things like that — it’s all these things we know come out when they’re being groomed online by a predator.”
According to the Internet Crimes Against Children educator, it is important for parents to understand the online games and apps their children use and the privacy settings involved with those.
She said regular monitoring also matters, whether through software or apps or by checking kids’ phones and their activity online.
“(Be) non-threatening, because we know that doesn’t work,” Busch-Upwall said. “If kids think their phone is going to get taken away, then they’re going to hide it.”
