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Missing Upton Teen Found in South Dakota

Photo courtesy of Moorcroft Police Department's Facebook page.

Photo courtesy of Moorcroft Police Department’s Facebook page.

 

A 16-year-old who was reported missing last week in Moorcroft was found dead in South Dakota Monday.

A Facebook post from the Mead County Sheriff’s Office in South Dakota stated that the body of a young female was found while law enforcement was serving a search warrant in Blucksberg, near Sturgis, South Dakota.

An autopsy is scheduled for later this week, but the agency believes it is Shayna Ritthaler, who was reported missing from Moorcroft Oct. 3.

Officer Bill Bryant said Moorcroft Police were contacted after the teen didn’t return to school after lunch. Some students reported seeing her at the Coffee Cup Fuel Stop, and it appeared she had been waiting for someone.

Surveillance video obtained from the Coffee Cup showed Ritthaler getting into a vehicle and leaving the area.

The Meade County Facebook statement also reports a juvenile suspect was taken into custody. Criminal charges are pending.

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