Utah Kidnap Victim Recovered In Sweetwater County

A spokesman for the Sweetwater County Sheriff's Department says three Red Desert residents are in custody and an 11 year old Utah girl they allegedly kidnapped has been safely recovered.

Dick Blust says the department was contacted last week by authorities in Wasatch County, Utah about an 11 year old girl who had been abducted by her non-custodial parent,  32 year old Tessa Mounts. Mounts is a resident of Red Desert, which is located about 60 miles east of Rock Springs on Interstate 80.

Blust says the investigation found that Mounts and two people she lived with, 47 year old Mary Marsh and 49 year old Arlee Smith, had driven to Utah on June 2 and returned with the girl to Wyoming. Smith is a registered sex offender, according to Blust. Mounts voluntarily gave up her custodial rights in 2009, according to Utah authorities. The girl's grandparents were granted custody at that time..

Blust says the girl was found safe in Red Desert on the afternoon of July 5th, and Marsh, Smith and Mounts were all arrested. The trio is charged in Utah with Child Kidnapping and Custodial Interference, both felonies and all three have waived extradition. Blust says they are being held in the Sweetwater County Detention Center pending their return to Utah to face the charges.

The 11 year old girl, who is not being identified, has been returned to her grandparents, according to Blust