Sheriff’s Office Reports Missing Happy Camp Teenage Girl Rescued
The Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office official Facebook page thankfully reports the return of a missing 14-year-old girl –
“On July 8, 2020 a Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) responded to the Happy Camp area to investigate a report of a missing 14-year-old girl.
The investigation revealed the missing teenager may have left the area with a 20-year-old man visiting the area from New York.
The teenager and male adult were suspected to be traveling in his vehicle, a Chevrolet HHR (small SUV) 4×4 vehicle, burgundy in color, with New York license plates. SCSO investigators took a missing persons report and due to the circumstances of her disappearance, classified her status as “endangered” and SCSO reported exploitation of the youth was suspected.
The investigating deputy and a detective from the Major Crimes Unit (MCU) immediately began developing investigative leads and a regional and then national “be on the lookout” broadcast was disseminated to all law enforcement agencies.
Various investigative methods were used to locate the missing teenager and the adult suspect, including the SCSO MCU detective contacting various law enforcement agencies along the suspected route of travel.
On Thursday, July 9, SCSO investigators received good news that a Nevada Highway Patrol (NHP) Trooper, after reading the broadcast for the missing teen spotted the suspect vehicle traveling near Elko, Nevada.
The vehicle was stopped, and the driver and passenger detained. It was learned that the suspect in the disappearance of the teenager, Mr. Patrick James Montross, 20 (also known as Montross-Yunghans) was present along with the missing teenager.
The NHP, SCSO, and later, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), both agents from the Redding, CA and Elko, Nevada FBI offices assisted with the investigation.
Mr. Montross was arrested and as the investigation progressed, it was learned he was implicated in additional law violations suspected to have been committed in Nevada and California. SCSO investigators are continuing the investigation and it is anticipated that state and federal charges will be filed for a number of charges in the near future, along with crime-related charges he faces in Nevada.
According to Sheriff Jon Lopey, “SCSO investigators are working with the Siskiyou County District Attorney’s Office to obtain an arrest warrant for Mr. Montross for law violations he is suspected to have committed in California.
He may face additional federal charges. We are very relieved the teenager is safe and will soon be returned to her family. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the SCSO investigators, SCSO leaders, SCSO Dispatch operators, NHP troopers, FBI Agents, and District Attorney for assisting with this important case – Their efforts helped to return a 14-year-old teenager safely home to her family.
There is still work to be done and anyone with information about this case is urged to contact the SCSO’s 24-hour Dispatch Center at (530) 841-2900.”
