Missing girl turns up after police issue crime alert

A 16-year-old girl who was missing for nearly 28 hours voluntarily appeared Thursday night at the Beltrami County Law Enforcement Center, prompting police to cancel a crime alert issued for her safe return.

Shortly after 9 p.m., law enforcement said Jessica Jolie Thompson arrived at the center in Bemidji, along with the boy suspected of forcing her to leave a Bemidji home Wednesday afternoon and the boy’s father, at 8:34 p.m.

Earlier in the day, Bemidji police said Thompson had been taken from a home at 4:55 p.m. Wednesday by 15-year-old Jarvis Lussier and she had indicated to friends that she didn’t want to leave with him. In issuing a statewide crime alert, police also sought the public’s help in locating the teen couple, who have been dating for about one year.

A release Thursday afternoon said Thompson “was last seen being led by the arm headed south on foot with Lussier in Westwood Mobile Home Park located in northwest Bemidji” but there had been no history of domestic violence.

During the time Thompson could not be located, police said she hadn’t been in contact with her mother, who filed a 10:15 a.m. Thursday, the Police Department said.

Police cast a wide net, stating Thompson could be in Bemidji, the Red Lake Indian Reservation and the Lac De Flambeau Reservation in Wisconsin. A second news release to the media included the crime alert and a description of Thompson, along with what she was wearing when she left the home.

Police said Thursday night that they are continuing to investigate the events surrounding Thompson leaving the home. Jason Lussier, the father of Jarvis, escorted the couple to the law enforcement center Thursday night.

Bemidji police are continuing to investigate the case and possible charges stemming from it.