Bellevue police address questions surrounding missing teen case
Updated: 9:00 AM CST Mar 6, 2014
Bellevue police on Wednesday held a news conference to address big questions that have surfaced regarding a missing 16-year-old girl.Michaela Wells has been missing since Sunday night, her family said.See photos of Michaela WellsWatch: Bellevue police news conference on missing teenMichaela Wells Missing Poster from MissingKids.comOn Wednesday, Bellevue Police Chief Mark Elbert said police still don't have any reason to believe Wells was abducted. Elbert said he's comfortable with the local resources working the case."Do we believe that she ran away or maybe met someone that she knows?"Elbert said that's part of the ongoing investigation."I don't want to speculate in regards to that," Elbert said. "We're going through a great deal of information that would help shed some light on that for us."Elbert said Wells previously left home late at night on one occasion and returned the following day."Do we believe she's in danger?"Elbert said although investigators don't have any evidence to believe Wells is in danger, anytime a young person is missing, from a vulnerability standpoint, he agrees there's a certain degree of danger there."Why was there a delay in reporting the situation?"Elbert said he doesn't believe there was an extensive delay in getting information out, considering she has left once in the past and returned the next day."Why has there been no Amber Alert?""This case, with the situation that we currently have, does not meet the criteria for an Amber Alert," Elbert said.In an interview Wednesday, Wells' mother said she doesn't believe her daughter is safe."She's probably scared, she's probably confused," Theresa Norris said. "I'll tell you right now, she's a homebody. She likes her stuff. She needs that. It helps her as a person. I don't see her giving that up willingly."Police said a forensic team has been digging through electronics, including the girl's phone, as part of the investigation.Wells' mother said the girl took out the trash around 8:30 p.m. Sunday and didn't return."Our daughter is one of those people who when she says she's going to come back, she comes back," Norris said.Norris said the family decided to give Wells the benefit of the doubt, assuming that perhaps she went to hang out with friends. When she didn't return the next day, Norris said, the family called police to file a report.Wells was reported missing around 9 p.m. Monday, police said.According to the Nebraska Missing Persons Information Clearinghouse, Wells was last seen wearing a black tank top with a teal hoodie over it, jeans, black shoes and a red floor-length coat with fur around the hood. She's about 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighs 120 pounds.Although Wells is seen photographed in a sash that reads "Miss Nebraska Teen," she has no affiliation with the Miss America or Miss USA organizations or associated teen pageants.The Bellevue Police Department said Wells was entered into a national missing persons database Monday night."At this time, there is no evidence to indicate Michaela left her residence against her own will," police said in a release Tuesday.However, Norris said Wells is not the type to take off and not say anything. In fact, Norris said, the girl wasn't even dressed for the weather."This isn't a sign of a teenager saying, 'I'm gonna go run away on you,'" Norris said. "It's just not like her."Bellevue police said the family has handed over the girl's cellphone and other electronics to forensic investigators.Any information about Michaela Wells' whereabouts should be forwarded to Bellevue police at 402-293-3100.
BELLEVUE, Neb. —
Bellevue police on Wednesday held a news conference to address big questions that have surfaced regarding a missing 16-year-old girl.
Michaela Wells has been missing since Sunday night, her family said.
Missing Teen, Michaela Wells returned to metro
Photos: Michaela Wells
Bellevue police news conference on missing teen
See photos of Michaela Wells
Watch: Bellevue police news conference on missing teen
Michaela Wells Missing Poster from MissingKids.com
On Wednesday, Bellevue Police Chief Mark Elbert said police still don't have any reason to believe Wells was abducted. Elbert said he's comfortable with the local resources working the case.
"Do we believe that she ran away or maybe met someone that she knows?"
Elbert said that's part of the ongoing investigation.
"I don't want to speculate in regards to that," Elbert said. "We're going through a great deal of information that would help shed some light on that for us."
Elbert said Wells previously left home late at night on one occasion and returned the following day.
"Do we believe she's in danger?"
Elbert said although investigators don't have any evidence to believe Wells is in danger, anytime a young person is missing, from a vulnerability standpoint, he agrees there's a certain degree of danger there.
"Why was there a delay in reporting the situation?"
Elbert said he doesn't believe there was an extensive delay in getting information out, considering she has left once in the past and returned the next day.
"Why has there been no Amber Alert?"
"This case, with the situation that we currently have, does not meet the criteria for an Amber Alert," Elbert said.
In an interview Wednesday, Wells' mother said she doesn't believe her daughter is safe.
"She's probably scared, she's probably confused," Theresa Norris said. "I'll tell you right now, she's a homebody. She likes her stuff. She needs that. It helps her as a person. I don't see her giving that up willingly."
Police said a forensic team has been digging through electronics, including the girl's phone, as part of the investigation.
Wells' mother said the girl took out the trash around 8:30 p.m. Sunday and didn't return.
"Our daughter is one of those people who when she says she's going to come back, she comes back," Norris said.
Norris said the family decided to give Wells the benefit of the doubt, assuming that perhaps she went to hang out with friends. When she didn't return the next day, Norris said, the family called police to file a report.
Wells was reported missing around 9 p.m. Monday, police said.
According to the Nebraska Missing Persons Information Clearinghouse, Wells was last seen wearing a black tank top with a teal hoodie over it, jeans, black shoes and a red floor-length coat with fur around the hood. She's about 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighs 120 pounds.
Although Wells is seen photographed in a sash that reads "Miss Nebraska Teen," she has no affiliation with the Miss America or Miss USA organizations or associated teen pageants.
The Bellevue Police Department said Wells was entered into a national missing persons database Monday night.
"At this time, there is no evidence to indicate Michaela left her residence against her own will," police said in a release Tuesday.
However, Norris said Wells is not the type to take off and not say anything. In fact, Norris said, the girl wasn't even dressed for the weather.
"This isn't a sign of a teenager saying, 'I'm gonna go run away on you,'" Norris said. "It's just not like her."
Bellevue police said the family has handed over the girl's cellphone and other electronics to forensic investigators.
Any information about Michaela Wells' whereabouts should be forwarded to Bellevue police at 402-293-3100.