Tennessee Girl, Missing More Than A Week, Found Safe

Images via Tennessee Bureau of Investigation

UPDATE: May 12, 6:15 p.m. Eastern:

A 9-year-old girl from Tennessee who had been missing for more than a week was found Thursday afternoon, authorities announced. Her uncle, who took her from school Wednesday, May 4 under false pretenses, was taken into custody, according to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.

While tips poured in from 19 states across the country, Carlie Trent was found in Hawkins County, the same county from where she was taken, according to FirstCoastNews.

Residents called 9-1-1 with a tip that led to her finding, WCYB reported.

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Original story below:

A 9-year-old girl from Tennessee is still missing and is in "imminent danger" after she was taken from school under false pretenses by her uncle on Wednesday, May 4, state authorities said.

Authorities believe Carlie Marie Trent is with Gary Simpson, her uncle by marriage.

"Gary, if you're out there, we would encourage you to do the right thing … we would encourage you to bring Carlie home," Josh Devine, a Tennessee Bureau of Investigation spokesman said, according to the Knoxville News-Sentinel. "There is nothing that has happened in the past few days that cannot be discussed and can't be worked out."

Trent was taken out of school in Rogersville, Tennessee, on May 4 by Simpson, who has no custodial rights to her, TBI said, and then the two went to a Save-A-Lot grocery store. TBI released surveillance footage of Trent and Simpson at the checkout counter, where Simpson bought nail polish, girls underwear and a bikini, among other things.

TBI issued an Endangered Child Alert alert on the day she was taken and upgraded it to an Amber Alert a day later. TBI said Trent is "in imminent danger of serious bodily harm or death."

James Trent added, "I just don’t know what would possess him to do such a thing except just evil.”

Carlie Trent is 4 feet, 8 inches tall, weighs 75 pounds and has blonde hair and blue eyes, according to TBI. Simpson, 57, is 5 feet, 10 inches tall and weighs 157 pounds, TBI said.

Simpson was last seen driving a beat-up white 2002 Dodge Conversion Van with "173-GPS" on the Tennessee license plate.

Devine, the TBI spokesman, said they have reached out to authorities at private campgrounds in Tennessee, North Carolina, Virginia and Kentucky, according to the Knoxville News-Sentinel. Devine thinks Simpson may be hiding with Trent in a remote location and said property owners in rural areas in and around East Tennessee should be on the lookout.

Some 1,200 tips have poured in from 19 states, TBI said, including from Virginia, Georgia, Florida, California, Pennsylvania and New York.

The Amber Alert was extended to Cooper County, Missouri, where local officials said Trent and Simpson might have been spotted.

The U.S. Marshall's Service is offering a $5,000 for information leading to Simpson's arrest and Trent's safe return. Anyone with information can call 1-800-TBI-FIND, or if they see the van, TBI says to dial 9-1-1.