Three alleged kidnappers are being held without bail, accused of trying to take the girls from Iowa to California.
The Utah Highway Patrol was asked to help find a missing 14-year-old Iowa girl Saturday after her phone was pinged in Summit County.
Shortly after that, UHP troopers found an 18-year-old with her young daughter and her niece, the 14-year-old missing girl, at the Kimball Junction rest stop on westbound Interstate 80.
They said a man contacted them on Facebook and convinced them to go to California. He later threatened to hurt them if he wasn’t paid for transporting them.
When a car came to pick up the girls, troopers detained everyone inside: a 38-year-old woman, two men ages 19 and 30, and two children.
According to UHP, the woman had threatened to cut out the girls’ tongues and said she was getting paid to transport them.
Troopers searched the car and found methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia inside.
All three adults were taken to the Summit County Jail on suspicion of kidnapping, drug possession and other crimes.
They’re being held without bail, and had not been charged as of Monday afternoon.
It wasn’t immediately clear who took custody of the children after the arrests.
UHP Lt. Cameron Roden declined to comment, citing ongoing investigation and the need to identify other parties involved.
