Page County Sheriff Lyle Palmer late Wednesday afternoon, released additional details about the escape of two teens earlier in the day, and the related theft of a pickup. Palmer says at around 11:19-a.m., his office received a call from Merle Mellencamp, of 1898 Quince Avenue. The man reported his white, 2008 Ford F-250 standard cab pickup with a black grill guard, had been stolen from his farm yard within the previous 15-minutes. The keys had been in the vehicle, and the tank full of gas.

As deputies were enroute to Mellencamp’s residence, the Sheriff’s Office called the Clarinda Academy to inquire about any run-a ways that had not been reported. Official at the Academy called back later to say they had two missing females. The 14-year olds were identified as Taylor Kay Dalton, of Nevada (IA), and Jasmime Lacy Nall, of Lake Isabella, CA.

While a stolen vehicle report was being taken, law enforcement officers across southwest Iowa were notified about both the stolen pickup and the missing females. Less than an hour from when the vehicle was first reported stolen, it along with the two teenaged girls were located in Union County, near Afton.