Springfield police found girl missing for two years, now an adult

Two years to the day after 16-year-old Kylie Lawrence went missing, Springfield police found her at Battlefield Mall on Tuesday afternoon — and let her go.

After all, she was an adult and right where she wanted to be.

When Lawrence was reported as a missing runaway on July 28, 2013, she was 16 years old — but two years later, she’s no longer a minor.

Lisa Cox, public information officer with the Springfield Police Department, said Lawrence had believed her status as a missing runaway would “go away” once she turned 18 — but someone recognized Lawrence at the mall and informed police of her location.

She was listed as an active missing person in Greene County by the Missouri State Highway Patrol on Tuesday afternoon but has since been removed from the list. She had also been listed on the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s website.

Cox said police confirmed that Lawrence was safe, let her know she was still considered missing and allowed her to leave.

Perry Epperly, chief juvenile officer with the Greene County Juvenile Justice Center, said that Lawrence’s case had been closed prior to her being located but that the circumstances were confidential.

If she was still a juvenile, Cox said her discovery may have been approached differently.

Cox said Lawrence had been taken into protective custody by the state at some point and had been living with her grandmother. It isn’t clear if Lawrence’s family has been informed of her status.