A 15-year-old Deputy girl has been returned home safely after she went missing from Crothersville.

Trimble County Sheriff’s Department located the girl in the parking lot of a Walmart in Carrollton, Kentucky, around 2 p.m. Tuesday, Crothersville Police Chief Richard Hanlin said.

She was found in a vehicle with Robert Logan Price, believed to be 25 to 30, from Michigan, Hanlin said.

At first, she lied to police, making up a fake name and date of birth, Hanlin said.

He said the girl met Price at the Crothersville Red, White and Blue Festival last month and kept in contact with him through emails, social media, text messages and cellphone calls.

“The girl had spent the night with her great-great-grandmother here in Crothersville and had packed a backpack to leave with him,” Hanlin said.

The girl’s mother reported her missing, and police believe she left around 4 a.m. Monday.

Hanlin said an Indiana Department of Homeland Security team with search dogs was involved to eliminate the possibility she was still in Crothersville.

“At that time, we didn’t believe that she had been injured or was being held against her will, but in a situation like that anything could happen,” Hanlin said.

After learning the man’s identity, Hanlin said, it was determined he lived in Midland County, Michigan, but had family in southern Indiana and Kentucky.

The two had spent Monday night in a car under a bridge in Kentucky, Hanlin said.

Police contacted Price’s mother, who called her son.

“His mom called him and told him he needed to turn the girl in, but he said, ‘She’s with me and not going back,’” Hanlin said.

Hanlin said Price has not been arrested, but he expects local and possibly federal charges to be pursued, along with charges in Kentucky.

“We’re working with the prosecutor’s office to see what can be done,” Hanlin said. “It takes time.”

Assisting with the search and investigation were the Midland County (Michigan) Sheriff’s Department, Trimble County (Kentucky) Sheriff’s Department, FBI, Indiana State Police, Jackson County Sheriff’s Department and Carroll County (Kentucky) Sheriff’s Department.

Hanlin said everyone worked well together, and the results were what they wanted.

“There was good communication, and we were able to pool all of our resources,” he said. “The priority was to get her home safely back to her family. We are lucky that everything worked out for the best.”