Law enforcement officials in Jefferson County, Idaho, issued an Amber Alert after 13-year-old Allen Larand Fischer and 15-year-old Rachelle Leray Fischer disappeared from Monteview on Sunday.
The children may be headed to a Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS) group in Mendon, Utah, according to the alert issued by the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.
The children were last seen wearing traditional FLDS clothing, ABC4 reported. Rachelle was reportedly wearing a dark green prairie dress, while Allen was wearing a blue shirt with jeans.
An Amber Alert remains active for both children and law enforcement continues to seek information from the public.
Why It Matters
The children’s mother, Elizabeth Roundy, told ABC4 that she fears this an abduction linked to a revelation claimed to have been received by FLDS President Warren Jeffs in 2022.
The revelation allegedly instructs members to prepare their children for so-called spiritual transformation requiring death and resurrection.
“It encourages them to gather their followers, and they get to become translated beings, but they must die first, and then they’ll be risen like Jesus Christ in two to three days and made pure,” Tonia Tewell, executive director of Holding out HELP, a group that supports people leaving polygamous groups, told ABC4.
What To Know
Facts of the Disappearance
Allen and Rachelle were last seen at their Monteview home on Sunday, EastIdahoNews.com reported. Roundy said that she left to attend a Bible class, and when she returned, the children were gone.
Authorities initially described the siblings as possibly traveling in a gray Honda or Hyundai sedan with Utah license plates. On Tuesday, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office said detectives have been unable to find “concrete evidence” regarding a vehicle the siblings may have left in.
“We have confirmed that the vehicle that was initially reported as being involved, has not travelled to Idaho during the time that Rachelle and Allen went missing,” the sheriff’s office said on Facebook.
The sheriff’s office said it is unsure if the children have left the immediate area or are still close by.
At the time of their disappearance, Allen was described as 5-foot-9, around 135 pounds, with sandy blond hair and blue eyes. Rachelle was described as 5-foot-5, 135 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes.
Mother’s Suspicions and Family History
Roundy left the FLDS church more than five years ago but said her children maintained deep connections to the group. She alleged that the current situation might involve older siblings, specifically her 18-year-old daughter, Elintra Dee Fischer, who went missing in January 2023 and has not been located.
Roundy told EastIdahoNews.com that she observed suspicious vehicle activity near her home.
Context: FLDS Church in the United States
The FLDS is a Mormon fundamentalist group not affiliated with the mainstream LDS Church.
The FLDS gained national notoriety for its polygamous practices, alleged forced marriages and the 2011 conviction of Jeffs on felony sexual assault charges involving minors. Despite Jeffs’ imprisonment, his reported influence over the FLDS community remains significant.
What People Are Saying
Elizabeth Roundy, mother of the missing children, told EastIdahoNews.com: “I’m very concerned about their well-being, and of course, I’m missing them very badly. I’m heartbroken they’re gone.”
Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, in a Facebook post on Monday: “It is believed that the children willingly left to return to Trenton, Utah due to religious beliefs.”
What Happens Next
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office is asking the public to report any possible sightings of Rachelle and Allen by calling the dispatch center at 208-745-9210, option 7.
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