The family marked 500 days since anyone confirmed seeing Kylie Arellano on Sunday, October 11, 2026. The Garden City, Utah teenager vanished on May 29, 2025, and her family says they still have no answers about where she might be. Kylie, who was 15 at the time she disappeared and turns 17 on Wednesday, was last seen in the small Bear Lake resort town in Rich County wearing a black nightgown with a metal cross on the chest, according to official case records.
Stephanie Coleman, Kylie's mother, marked the grim 500-day milestone this week with a public update, saying there are no leads and that the family does not know her daughter's location, as reported by KUTV. Coleman has continued paying Kylie's cell phone bill in the hope that it might be found or switched back on, the station reports. NamUs lists Kylie's missing-person case as MP149276.
A Suitcase, a Wig, and a Trail That Goes Cold
Before she disappeared, Kylie had purchased a skull-patterned roller suitcase and other items from a local thrift shop in Garden City, per the same NamUs case file. KUTV has reported possible sightings in Utah and other states.
Rich County Sheriff Dale Stacey said in August 2025 that none of the possible sightings reported in Utah and other states had been confirmed, per KUTV, though investigators followed up on each reported lead. The sheriff has asked anyone who believes they have seen Kylie to immediately document it with a photo, video, time, and location. KUTV followed up with Stacey this week to ask additional questions about the case and the extent of other law enforcement involvement.
Family Fears Online Grooming Behind the Disappearance
Coleman has said she believes Kylie may have been coerced from home after an unknown person or people sent her money through PayPal. The family has also voiced concerns about her online activity.
“Kylie, I love you, and we want you home. We want you safe. Please call someone,” Coleman said, urging her daughter to reach out to anyone if she is able. The family has continued distributing flyers, holding awareness events, and asking the public not to dismiss possible sightings. “Don't tell yourself it's not her, let us decide,” Coleman said.
Federal Agents and National Databases
In December 2025, the Rich County Sheriff's Office confirmed it was conducting its search for Kylie in conjunction with the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force and had entered her information into national crime databases, according to Gephardt Daily. The local case, numbered 25-R308, was entered into the National Crime Information Center and NamUs.
Local deputies have continued following up on incoming tips. Under Utah Code § 53-10-202, the state's Bureau of Criminal Identification is required to maintain a statewide missing persons registry and immediately submit missing youth information to national crime databases without a waiting period, according to the Utah Bureau of Criminal Identification's missing persons manual.
A Rural Resort Town Complicates the Search
Garden City sits along Bear Lake in Rich County, a rural county with an estimated 2025 population of just 2,687 residents, making it Utah's fourth-least populous county, according to Data Commons figures.
The area also sees a dramatic seasonal swell in visitors. Garden City led Utah in percentage population growth in 2023, expanding by nearly 13%, while Rich County's housing stock grew rapidly, with short-term rentals cited as a possible factor, according to KSL.com. That influx of transient tourist traffic during the summer months adds another layer of difficulty for investigators trying to track a single teenager's movements.
Kylie's case fits into a larger national pattern that advocates say deserves attention. The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children says runaway incidents make up the overwhelming majority of its missing-children cases, and that runaway children face disproportionate risks of exploitation and trafficking. Anyone with information about Kylie Arellano's whereabouts is asked to contact the Rich County Sheriff's Office at 435-793-2285 and reference case No. 25-R308.
