Tuba City, Arizona — An 8-year-old girl who went missing on tribal lands in northern Arizona was found dead Friday, authorities said.
Navajo tribal officials say Malika Boone was last seen Thursday evening in the Culmaine Canyon area, located 240 miles (386 kilometers) north of Phoenix.
A spokesman for the FBI, which is investigating tribal police, declined to provide details about her death. The Associated Press left an email with a tribal police spokesman.
In a video on social media, Navajo Nation Chairman Beau Negrin said Malika’s death was devastating. “This tragedy is heavy on my heart,” Nygren said.
Her disappearance triggered the Turquoise Alert, an alert system for missing Native Americans.
in arizona, Legislation creating the alert It was referred to as “Emily’s Law” in honor of Emily Pike, whose remains were found on February 14 more than 100 miles (161 kilometers) away from a group home she left in Mesa, Arizona. Pike’s death spurred a return to purposeful activism Bring more awareness pointed to the disproportionate number of disappearances and violent deaths that have plagued Native American communities for decades, and prompted lawmakers to amend the bill to recognize them.