AR TANVI MARUPALLY: Missing from Conway, AR - 17 January 2023 - Age 14 *Found Safe*

Conway family still searching for 14-year-old daughter who ran away two weeks ago

A family in Conway is desperately searching for their 14-year-old daughter, Tanvi Marupally, missing for two weeks after she ran away from school on Jan. 17.

katv.com

by Andrew Mobley
Tue, January 31st 2023, 1:35 AM EST

LITTLE ROCK (KATV) — A family in Conway is desperately searching for their 14-year-old daughter.

Tanvi Marupally has been missing for two weeks, after she ran away from school on Jan. 17.

Her family alerted police that evening when she didn't come home and initiated searches for her, handing out thousands of flyers they say. Police and volunteers have been searching for the girl as well.

Tanvi's parents believe that their daughter ran away because of the family's tenuous immigration status. They say even though they've legally lived and worked in the U.S. for many years, hoping and trying to acquire citizenship, the country's immigration system has left them out in the cold.

<snip>
Her parents believe the prospect of being ripped from her home in the U.S. was too much for their daughter.

She was last seen on security camera footage at Conway Junior High School the day of her disappearance, walking past the school bus she usually takes home.

<snip>
Apart from educational and career opportunities, a primary reason Tanvi's family moved to the U.S. was to raise their daughter in a safer environment, as sexual assault and violence against women is rampant in many parts of India. Tanvi knew of the threats women face in India as well.

The girl would often visit a chapel near her home and its surrounding fields to escape life's worries. Her parents said she loves the outdoors.

Pavan attempted to distract his daughter from her growing concerns about leaving the U.S. by taking her to many Arkansas State and National Parks. Her favorite was Petit Jean State Park, with which she had a special connection. For that reason, her parents believe she may have gone there after running away.

Pavan has searched for his daughter in all the parks they used to visit together, even as far as Lake Fort Smith. He says they probably visited 45 Arkansas State Parks in total.

Tanvi was last seen wearing a purple winter coat, pink pullover, blue shirt and jeans, and blue backpack. She is 5 feet 5 inches tall and has short black hair and wears glasses.

She did not bring her smart watch to school as she usually did and did not have a mobile phone, so her location cannot be pinged.


MEDIA - TANVI MARUPALLY: Missing from Conway, AR - 17 January 2023 - Age 14

 

[Summer_Breeze]

Loved ones, community members continue search for missing Arkansas teen Tanvi Marupally

It has been 45 days since 14-year-old Tanvi Marupally went missing near her school's bus pickup area in Conway, Arkansas.

abcnews.go.com

ByOlivia Osteen
March 5, 2023, 10:51 AM

It's been 45 days since 14-year-old Tanvi Marupally went missing near the bus pickup area at her school in Conway, Arkansas, and there are still no publicly known leads as to where she went.

Tanvi's parents initially told the Conway Police Department that the Indian-American teenager might have run away from home due to fear of deportation, according to police. She had run away previously at age 11 when her mother was deported, but in that instance, she was gone less than a day and was near her house for the entirety of her disappearance, officials said.

Her parents, Sridevi Eadara and Pavan Roy Marupally, have said deportation is no longer a concern. The couple expressed this assurance in a video posted to YouTube of them pleading for their only daughter to come home. Eadara, the mother, returned legally to the United States as a dependent on her husband's visa, she told ABC News.

<snip>
The community of approximately 65,000 people has rallied around her family and the cause to bring Tanvi home, searching the town for weeks, holding a vigil in February, and bringing home-cooked meals to Tanvi's parents.

"You wish every community with a missing child would respond the way Conway has," Rebecca Steinbach, spokesperson for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), told ABC News. "They've banded together in such a loving, positive way to bring Tanvi home."

Eadara said, "Our family, friends and community … they are helping us … literally they are taking care of my family."

In February, the U.S. Marshals Service joined CPD in its efforts to search for the teen. But despite a multi-agency effort, the case appears to be running cold, leading some community members to criticize law enforcement's response and begin their own sleuthing efforts.

Have you seen this child? Tanvi Marupally

Missing From: CONWAY, AR. Missing Date: Tue, Jan 17 2023. Both photos shown are of Tanvi. When she was last seen, she was wearing a purple jacket and carrying a blue backpack.

www.missingkids.org

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Search for Tanvi Marupally gets national attention

It's been over 6 weeks since Tanvi Marupally was last seen leaving school in Conway— and as the search continues, people outside the state will soon know who she is.

www.thv11.com

Search for Tanvi Marupally gets national attention​

It's been 48 days since 14-year-old Tanvi Marupally was seen leaving Conway Junior High School— and that day, January 17, was the last time that anyone saw Tanvi.

"With really no explanation of what happened, where she is, it's like she vanished into thin air," Angeline Hartmann, Communications Director for the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, said. "Everybody that we've told about this case wants to do what they can to help Tanvi, to help this family."

The search has been widespread throughout Conway, as police and the community have continuously searched over the past several weeks.

"The National Center believes that all children, all missing children should be looked for," Hartmann said. "All these communities should rally for all the children."

While the community has jumped to help search, Hartmann explained that there's concern that Tanvi may not be in Arkansas— that's why a new approach could help in that search.

"Her story will pop up whether you are expecting it or not," Hartmann said. "You can't just scroll past it."

Starting on Monday, March 13, information on Tanvi and her disappearance will show up on gas station screens in Arkansas, Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, and Tennessee. With those being such high-traffic areas, Hartmann hopes to find somebody who has seen something.

"Every time a child is missing, that's everybody's child," she said.

While it's been 48 days since anyone has seen Tanvi, it only takes one person to keep that number from climbing anymore.

 

[Kimster]

I wonder if she found somebody who is sympathetic to her fears?

 

[Summer_Breeze]

Searching for Tanvi

It’s been nearly two months since 14-year-old Tanvi Marupally vanished from Conway, Arkansas, a...

www.missingkids.org

Emma Henderson Vaughan
03-09-2023

It’s been nearly two months since 14-year-old Tanvi Marupally vanished from Conway, Arkansas, a suburban town just 30 minutes northwest of Little Rock.

The morning of Jan. 17, 2023, began like most others for Tanvi and her family. According to her mom, after arriving at school that morning, Tanvi attended all her classes and left the building at the end of the day. It was after that, however, when the seemingly normal day would take a turn.

That afternoon, Tanvi didn’t return home. Police discovered that although she was in the area around her bus stop after school, she kept walking instead of going home. Something her family says is extremely unlike her.

Tanvi’s mom, Sridevi Eadara, told NCMEC that Tanvi is a good student and that she loves being with her family. She described her as smart, kind and always willing to help others.

The evening before Tanvi went missing, her family continued an ongoing discussion on the possibility of moving back to India. They're unsure if the discussion made Tanvi upset or if another factor could have played a role in her disappearance.

But nearly two months later and with no explanation of what happened, it’s as if Tanvi vanished that January day. Today, her family, law enforcement and NCMEC are looking for any clues as to what may have happened to her.

To increase awareness about Tanvi and her disappearance, NCMEC worked alongside the television show, On Patrol: Live, bringing the case to a nationwide audience, just three weeks after Tanvi went missing. The segment, which was part of NCMEC’s ongoing partnership with the show, aired Feb. 10 on the REELZ network.

And NCMEC is taking steps to make sure Tanvi stays in the public eye. Beginning next week, her photo and information will be featured on Gas Station Television Pumps (GSTV) throughout Arkansas and the surrounding states – Kentucky, Mississippi, Texas, Tennessee, Arkansas, Louisiana, Missouri. Thanks to NCMEC’s partnership with GSTV, Tanvi and other cases of missing children get exposure like never before.

Tanvi’s local community in Arkansas has also come together in the search for her, supporting her family, assisting in community searches, and spreading the word in hopes it will bring Tanvi home.

If you have any information on Tanvi or her disappearance, please contact the Conway Police Department at 1-501-450-6120 or the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST.

View Tanvi’s missing poster here: Have you seen this child? Tanvi Marupally

 

[Summer_Breeze]

Parents of missing Conway teen continue the search, as those with missing family members say don’t lose hope

Tanvi Marupally went missing in January and since then her parents say they have been doing everything they can to find her.

www.kark.com

by: Tylisa Hampton
Posted: Mar 10, 2023 / 09:20 PM CST
Updated: Mar 10, 2023 / 09:50 PM CST

CONWAY, Ark. – It’s been more than a month since anyone has seen or heard from a 14-year-old girl from Conway.

Tanvi Marupally went missing in January and since then her parents said they have been doing everything they can to find her.

Marupally was last seen on Jan. 17 near Conway Junior High School heading north on Davis Street wearing a purple coat, pink pullover, blue shirt and blue jeans.

Her father Roy said after she went missing, he and his wife, Sridevi Edara felt like they needed more help to bring her home.

“It was slowly sinking in that maybe we need more and more community effort,” Marupally said.

Edara said she is heartbroken to not have her daughter by her side.

 

[Summer_Breeze]

Community to celebrate missing teen's birthday

Members of the community are invited to gather at 2 p.m. on Sunday at the Faulkner County Library Community Garden to celebrate missing Conway teenager Tanvi Marupally’s 15th birthday.

www.thecabin.net

• By KOLTON RUTHERFORD Log Cabin Democrat
• 7 hrs ago

Members of the community are invited to gather at 2 p.m. on Sunday at the Faulkner County Library Community Garden to celebrate missing Conway teenager Tanvi Marupally’s 15th birthday.

In honor of Marupally’s birthday, community members will plant a tree in the library garden at 1900 Tyler Street.

“Tanvi loves all things nature and we know she will be thrilled to have her own fruit tree growing at the Faulkner County Library Community Garden,” Jenny Wallace wrote in a Facebook post announcing the event.

As previously reported in the Log Cabin Democrat, Marupally – who is described as having black hair and brown eyes, standing five feet, 5 inches tall and weighing 115 pounds – has been missing since Jan. 17, having last been seen via security camera footage at Conway Junior High School headed toward the bus pickup area.

 

[Summer_Breeze]

Conway community hopeful to find missing teen Tanvi Marupally before her birthday

Tanvi Marupally is just days away from her 15th birthday and family is hoping that this year, she can spend it in their arms.

www.kark.com

by: Jessica Ranck
Posted: Mar 22, 2023 / 07:22 PM CDT
Updated: Mar 23, 2023 / 06:33 AM CDT

CONWAY, Ark- The search continues for a missing teenager in Conway.

Tanvi Marupally is just days away from her 15th birthday and her family is hoping that this year, she can spend it in their arms.

“We remain hopeful, but it is devastating,” Marupally family friend Traci Lucas said. “You know every hour of every day we hope this is the hour.”

Friday, March 24th will be 65 days since Tanvi went missing. It will also be her birthday. Family said they hoped she would be home by that day.

“I think when you get to the end of your gas tank, you just have to dig down deep further,” Lucas said. “Put yourself in four-wheel drive and just keep trucking.”

 

[Summer_Breeze]

Conway community celebrates missing teen’s birthday, increases reward to find her

Family is increasing the reward to help bring a missing Conway teen home.

www.kark.com

by: Jessica Ranck
Posted: Mar 26, 2023 / 10:55 PM CDT
Updated: Mar 27, 2023 / 07:27 AM CDT

CONWAY, Ark – Family is increasing the reward to help bring a missing Conway teen home.

The Marupally’s say they are offering $25,000 for the safe return of their daughter Tanvi Marupally.

This week, the teenager celebrated her 15th birthday. As a tribute, the Conway Community planted a tree outside the Faulkner County Library Sunday.

“We didn’t want Tanvi’s birthday to go by without some sort of celebration,” Jenny Wallace who is helping search for the missing teen said.

 

[GrandmaBear]

Praying they get answers and find her. If she did not take her Smart Watch to school and walked away from the bus stop, it seems clear she was intentionally not going home. Doesn't mean she didn't meet with foul play but apparently did not plan on going home.

The gas station connects in several states is interesting and great if they are doing it for all children, however, this is the first one I heard of such with. It would be a great nationwide thing although I guess if they put up every one, it could get to be so many, the employees can't stay up on them, especially with teenagers.

Something seems to have changed too in that since I've been back on here, and looking at posts I've missed, just going through new posts as I'll never catch up going back on everything, there are a ton of missing teens new cases. Are more being reported, getting attention or just more on here being opened for threads? Or is something going on against teens. The bulk of them seem to be teenagers.

Teens as we know aren't always taken as seriously especially if having been known to run away. Just wondering.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Interesting... I'm not sure this guy understands missing persons investigations or AMBER Alerts. In fact, after a bit of Googling, I know he doesn't. Does he travel the country inserting himself into investigations? I'm all for advocating and activism, but... "whether she comes home or not"? Not sure I'd want him speaking for my family.

Activists look to file lawsuit in case of missing Tanvi Marupally

It's been about 10 weeks since Tanvi Marupally was last seen— and one activist explained that the Conway Police Department could soon be facing a lawsuit.

www.thv11.com

Activists look to file lawsuit in case of missing Tanvi Marupally​

January 17, 2023, was the last day that then-14-year-old Tanvi Marupally was seen, as she left Conway Junior High.

The community has worked together in hopes of finding her, and the search has gained national attention.

“Have you heard about Tanvi? And I said, no. I said who is that? And they told me about this child that was missing,” said Activist Derek Van Voast.

Van Voast is an Arkansan who travels across the country advocating for different people— and currently, it’s the Marupally family.

“I set up a meeting with the mayor, the police chief, and several other people and we had a meeting, about a three-hour meeting,” said Van Voast. “And I thought, what I was gonna get out of that meeting was enough to tell the families hey, they're doing their part.”

Van Voast explained how that wasn't the case, and instead there have been more questions than answers as time has gone on.

“The fact that we're here 70 days later, whatever, and we still don't have an amber alert I mean, I learned from my understanding the state police just heard about it three weeks ago,” said Van Voast. “There's got to be something I’m missing.”

He has been in contact with the family and said that the past ten weeks haven’t been easy for them.

"This child needs help. This family needs answers,” Van Voast explained.

Van Voast and other activists said they plan to take action.

“Good enough grounds for a lawsuit against the police department, just how they handled it from the very beginning,” said Van Voast.

He also said that the family is looking for transparency as they continue their search too.

“Whether their daughter comes home or not they would like the way it was handled on the front end to be fixed. So, it doesn't happen to any other children,” said Van Voast.

 

[Kimster]

Reward increased to $25,000 in disappearance of Conway teenager​

Reward increased to $25,000 in disappearance of Conway teenager

Tanvi Marupally, who turned 15 last week, has been missing since Jan. 17 when she was last seen walking on Davis Street after she left Conway Junior High School.

arktimes.com

 

[Summer_Breeze]

Missing Arkansas teen found safe in Florida

After being missing since January when she walked away from Conway Jr. High School, Tanvi Marupally has now been located safe in Florida.

www.thv11.com

Author: THV11 Digital
Published: 2:27 PM CDT March 29, 2023
Updated: 2:37 PM CDT March 29, 2023

CONWAY, Ark. — Tanvi Marupally who had been missing since January 17 after walking away from Conway Jr. High School has been located and found safe in Florida.

According to reports she was found through a tip received from a Tampa resident and her parents have already been notified. They are working with Tampa police and U.S. Marshals to bring her back to Conway.

 

[GrandmaBear]

Interesting... I'm not sure this guy understands missing persons investigations or AMBER Alerts. In fact, after a bit of Googling, I know he doesn't. Does he travel the country inserting himself into investigations? I'm all for advocating and activism, but... "whether she comes home or not"? Not sure I'd want him speaking for my family.

Activists look to file lawsuit in case of missing Tanvi Marupally

It's been about 10 weeks since Tanvi Marupally was last seen— and one activist explained that the Conway Police Department could soon be facing a lawsuit.

www.thv11.com

Activists look to file lawsuit in case of missing Tanvi Marupally​

January 17, 2023, was the last day that then-14-year-old Tanvi Marupally was seen, as she left Conway Junior High.

The community has worked together in hopes of finding her, and the search has gained national attention.

“Have you heard about Tanvi? And I said, no. I said who is that? And they told me about this child that was missing,” said Activist Derek Van Voast.

Van Voast is an Arkansan who travels across the country advocating for different people— and currently, it’s the Marupally family.

“I set up a meeting with the mayor, the police chief, and several other people and we had a meeting, about a three-hour meeting,” said Van Voast. “And I thought, what I was gonna get out of that meeting was enough to tell the families hey, they're doing their part.”

Van Voast explained how that wasn't the case, and instead there have been more questions than answers as time has gone on.

“The fact that we're here 70 days later, whatever, and we still don't have an amber alert I mean, I learned from my understanding the state police just heard about it three weeks ago,” said Van Voast. “There's got to be something I’m missing.”

He has been in contact with the family and said that the past ten weeks haven’t been easy for them.

"This child needs help. This family needs answers,” Van Voast explained.

Van Voast and other activists said they plan to take action.

“Good enough grounds for a lawsuit against the police department, just how they handled it from the very beginning,” said Van Voast.

He also said that the family is looking for transparency as they continue their search too.

“Whether their daughter comes home or not they would like the way it was handled on the front end to be fixed. So, it doesn't happen to any other children,” said Van Voast.

They are talking about suing the PD for what exactly??

Not saying many cases especially of teens who walked away on their own are handled perfectly and it's sad but what is it exactly the suit would claim?

Doesn't the family think themselves she may have been upset over their own talk of moving out of the country?

Just wondering how the police are so at fault here when it seems one can't be sure if she is gone of her own volition even now or not...

Do I have it wrong? I can't say I've had time to follow closely but have read the gist of it all.

 

[Summer_Breeze]

Missing Indian-American teen found safe in Florida: Police

Indian-American teenager Tanvi Marupally, who has gone missing for more than 75 days, was found safe in Florida and has been reunited with her family, police said. The 15 year-old had reportedly run away from her home in Arkansas due to fear of her family being deported amid mass layoffs in the

www.dailypioneer.com

Friday, 31 March 2023 | IANS | New York

Indian-American teenager Tanvi Marupally, who has gone missing for more than 75 days, was found safe in Florida and has been reunited with her family, police said.

The 15 year-old had reportedly run away from her home in Arkansas due to fear of her family being deported amid mass layoffs in the tech industry.

She was last seen on January 17 near Conway Junior High School.

"Today is a good day. Tanvi Marupally has been home with her family, safe and sound, exactly where she should be with her family," Conway's Police Chief William Tapley said addressing a press conference on Thursday.

He said Tanvi arrived at Kansas City on approximately January 22 after walking for several miles from where she was last seen at Davis Street.

She checked into a homeless shelter under a false identity and stayed in the Kansas City area for approximately two months before moving into Florida where she lived in an abandoned building.

"Her love for the library is ultimately what led to her discovery," Tapley said.

 

[GrandmaBear]

Missing Indian-American teen found safe in Florida: Police

Indian-American teenager Tanvi Marupally, who has gone missing for more than 75 days, was found safe in Florida and has been reunited with her family, police said. The 15 year-old had reportedly run away from her home in Arkansas due to fear of her family being deported amid mass layoffs in the

www.dailypioneer.com

Friday, 31 March 2023 | IANS | New York

Indian-American teenager Tanvi Marupally, who has gone missing for more than 75 days, was found safe in Florida and has been reunited with her family, police said.

The 15 year-old had reportedly run away from her home in Arkansas due to fear of her family being deported amid mass layoffs in the tech industry.

She was last seen on January 17 near Conway Junior High School.

"Today is a good day. Tanvi Marupally has been home with her family, safe and sound, exactly where she should be with her family," Conway's Police Chief William Tapley said addressing a press conference on Thursday.

He said Tanvi arrived at Kansas City on approximately January 22 after walking for several miles from where she was last seen at Davis Street.

She checked into a homeless shelter under a false identity and stayed in the Kansas City area for approximately two months before moving into Florida where she lived in an abandoned building.

"Her love for the library is ultimately what led to her discovery," Tapley said.

Happy she's safe now maybe they should drop their lawsuit talk. She was gone of her own volition and apparently manged quite well even moving from AR to KC to Florida somehow... Homeless shelters don't question minors on their own? Maybe along with false name she claimed a false age...

 

[Summer_Breeze]

Police share updates after finding missing Arkansas teen

After months of searching for Conway teen Tanvi Marupally, who made her way from Arkansas to Kansas City, to Florida, police were excited to share she's back home.

www.thv11.com

Author: Julissa Garza
Published: 7:29 PM CDT March 30, 2023
Updated: 7:34 PM CDT March 30, 2023

<snip>
Police explained that Tanvi walked for miles into the night and into the next day when she was able to find a train.

“On approximately January the 22nd, at which time she entered the community and found a homeless shelter,” said Tapley. “She checked into that homeless shelter under a false identity and stayed in the Kansas City area for approximately two months.”

From there Conway Police explained that Tanvi took a bus to Tampa, Florida.

“She found an abandoned building that she began to reside in,” said Tapley. “Tanvi’s love for the library is ultimately what led to her discovery.”

On March 28 a photo taken at a library in Downtown Tamp of Tanvi was sent to authorities and then to Conway Police that next morning.

“She was searching for jobs. On Craigslist. She had a phone, a functioning phone in her possession,” said Tapley.

<snip>
We also do not know what shelter she was staying at or even where she got that phone.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Police press conference video at link. ~Summer

 

[Guess Who]

She's quite the survivor with street smarts.

 

[GrandmaBear]

She's quite the survivor with street smarts.

She sure is... Didn't she run away once before too? Sounds to me like the parents are ineffective, have no control and blame all on their talking of either returning to the other country or being deported and blame it on our LE etc. so let's sue... Sorry but that's what it appears and sounds like.

I think something else is going on here too. Probably hoped that now there will be a lot of backing of oh, let's be sure they don't leave, let's help, etc. so she and her family can stay. she is so vulnerable and devastated or the family needs help... Not saying that's a certainty but this one smells.

I AM glad she is alive but it was one I never quite went there with thinking she wasn't nor had any reason to...