13-Year-Old Isabella Shiflett, Teen Sean Childress Found Safe in Goochland

Virginia State Police confirmed Thursday that 13-year-old Isabella Gayle Shiflett and a juvenile companion, Sean Childress, were located and found safe in Goochland County after a statewide CODI Alert was issued on behalf of the Goochland County Sheriff’s Office.

Isabella was last seen late Monday, Feb. 9, in the 6100 block of Community House Road in Columbia. Reports give the last-seen time as “just before midnight” and more specifically 11:52 p.m. Detectives reported they believed Isabella was traveling with Sean Childress, who had been reported missing through the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office. The Goochland County Sheriff’s Office described a travel path from Community House Road toward Lowry Road and then toward Old Columbia Road.

Law enforcement used a CODI Alert to mobilize public help. As described in local reporting, “CODI” - or “Critical Operation for a Disappeared Child Initiative” - alerts were approved by the 2024 General Assembly and named for Codi Bigsby, a 4-year-old from Hampton who was reported missing in 2022 and has never been found. Authorities also characterized the case as serious when the alert went out: “This disappearance poses a credible threat to her health and safety as determined by the investigating agency.”

Local outlets relayed a detailed physical description of Isabella provided by law enforcement. Isabella Gayle Shiflett is described as a 13-year-old white female with brown hair, hazel eyes, standing about 5-foot-7 and weighing approximately 156 pounds. She was possibly wearing a camo jacket or a plaid shirt, black leggings and black snow boots, and her hair may have been in a ponytail or braid.

One local report noted a possible means of travel: “Authorities say they may be traveling on an electronic bike.” That detail appeared in early coverage and had not been expanded in other reports at the time of the update.

Authorities thanked members of the public for tips and assistance in locating the juveniles and encouraged anyone with additional information to contact law enforcement. The Goochland County Sheriff’s Office can be reached at 804-556-5349. The Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office phone line is 804-492-4120.

For Goochland residents, the quick resolution highlights how public tips and an alert system can speed searches in rural corridors such as Community House Road, Lowry Road and Old Columbia Road. The use of the CODI mechanism also underscores recent policy changes at the state level intended to coordinate responses for missing children. Law enforcement agencies said further details may be released as investigators close the active search, and residents are asked to report any related information to the sheriff’s offices listed above.