Snohomish girl ran away to go help people

Published 7:47 pm Friday, October 17, 2008

SNOHOMISH — An 11-year-old girl who ran away from school Thursday morning was found safe almost 10 miles away and seven hours later.

A manhunt was launched after Nikole “Nikki” Judd disappeared around 10 a.m. during recess at Emerson Elementary School in Snohomish.

About 6 p.m. the girl called 911 from a pay phone in Everett, where she had apparently walked by herself, Snohomish Police Cmdr. Fred Havener said in a press release.

The girl’s parents and her entire family felt incredibly relieved, said Lisa Coldwell, the girl’s aunt.

“We are completely shocked that she was able to get all the way to Everett by herself,” she said. “Kids think they are invincible.”

Police, firefighters, a helicopter and a police dog were among 50 to 70 people looking for the girl, who apparently had been planning to run away for some time, Snohomish Police Chief John Turner said.

The sixth-grader left a note to her family before she went to school Thursday morning, said Hank Burch, Nikki’s uncle.

Nikki decided to head to Everett because she wanted to “help people there,” Coldwell said. “She wants to go out there and be a missionary. I just don’t think she realizes the limitations of being her age.”

Coldwell said the girl didn’t run away to spite her family but because she wanted to make the world a better place.

She said Nikki is a kind, Christian, creative person who loves to get involved in all sorts of community activities.

It’s unusual for kids that age to run away, and police were concerned the girl could have been in danger, Turner said.

“It becomes critical to find a missing child during the first few hours,” he said.

That is the reason so many forces were mobilized to look for Judd, who was first believed to be headed to Seattle, Turner said.

“We are so grateful she was found safe and returned to her family,” Turner said.

Reporter Katya Yefimova: 425-339-3452 or kyefimova@heraldnet.com.