Tennessee authorities are asking the public to assist in locating a 14-year-old girl who has been missing for close to three weeks. Her frightened parents are desperate for answers.
ABC 6 reports that 14-year-old Savannah Leigh Pruitt vanished from her Madisonville, Tennessee, home on January 13 at around 11 p.m. Monroe County Sheriff Tommy Jones is asking the public to be on the lookout for her. Two weeks have passed with no word from the girl, which concerns authorities. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is working alongside Tennessee law enforcement in attempt to bring her
On Friday, Detective Jason Fillyaw with the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office said he had never seen a missing child “go to this level.”
“I’ve been in an investigative position with this agency for three years now, and this is the first time we’ve had a missing juvenile go to this level. Usually, we locate them within 24 to 48 hours and they’re home safe.”
.@TBInvestigation searching for #Tennessee teenager #MISSING for more than 2 weeks.
Savannah Leigh Pruitt was last seen on Sunday, Jan. 13 in Madisonville. Police believe that she may have traveled to the Corbin, Ky. area.https://t.co/ClQqDEt33Z— NCMEC (@MissingKids) January 28, 2019
Savannah reportedly has two cellphones. One of the phones pinged close to Corbin, Kentucky, on January 14 at around 5:30 a.m. Corbin is around 130 miles from Madisonville. Both phones are now turned off and Savannah hasn’t been active on social media since she disappeared.
Fillyaw said he doesn’t think the teen wanted to run away, but he also doesn’t think she met someone online who wanted to abduct her.
“There has been nothing in any of that reporting that led us to believe that she intended to run away or was speaking with anybody that would try to abduct her,” Fillyaw said.
Savannah’s parents said they couldn’t think of reason why she would want to run away.
“She’s never misbehaved or been a bad kid, ever,” Savannah’s dad, Randall Pruitt, told WVLT-TV. “This is way out in left field for her…..Life has just ceased for us.”
The girl’s mom, Christina Pruitt, described her as bubbly and warm, and someone who adores animals so much she’s been nicknamed “farm girl.”
“We’re very heartbroken,” Christina Pruitt said Friday. “I miss her. I don’t understand…none of us understand.”
The family moved to Madisonville less than a month before Savannah disappeared. They moved from Lawrenceville, Georgia, in late December, according to NBC. Yet, they lived in Tennessee previously. Savannah reportedly enjoys the area because she can spend time with animals on the family farm.
Both Kentucky and Georgia authorities are aware of the missing girl and are actively involved in trying to find her. She’s described as a white female who stands 5-feet-3-inches tall and weighs around 110 pounds. She has blue eyes and brown hair.
“This is the first time they’ve had any child gone for this length of time, and that worries us,” Jones added. “We truly need the eyes and ears of the community.”
Anyone with any information on Savannah’s whereabouts is urged to contact the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department at 423-442-3911.
[Feature Photo: Savannah Pruitt/Handout]
