Police: R.I. Amber Alert was a runaway

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI/AP) - Police say a 13-year-old Providence girl who was briefly the subject of an Amber Alert Wednesday night had run away from home.

Providence police Lt. George Stamatakos said Thursday that authorities learned that Joyce Liberty had not been in danger after she was located at the Providence Place Mall.

The Amber Alert issued for her had said text messages sent from her phone indicated she was tied up and would be killed. Stamatakos says the messages turned out to be a hoax.

• RISP: Amber Alert proved successful

However, Captain Frank Castellone with the Rhode Island State Police told Eyewitness News on Thursday that law enforcement officials worked as they should during the time the Amber Alert was issued.

Operations with police, the community, and local media outlets all worked as they should in locating 13-year-old Joyce Liberty.

Stamatakos says the girl has run away from home in the past, but that authorities did not think that was the case when they issued the Amber Alert.

Stamatakos says he does not know why she ran away and that child welfare officials are working with her.