Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office Locates Missing 11-Year-Old Karah Kaley‑Smith Safe

The Kootenai County Sheriff's Office announced late Tuesday that 11-year-old Karah Kaley‑Smith, who had been reported missing after being last seen walking away from Athol Elementary near 6th and Menser earlier in the afternoon, has been located and is safe. The office issued an urgent public appeal that evening and posted an update confirming the child's recovery.

Sheriff's deputies first sought public help after the alert went online at about 7:07 p.m. The missing-person notice described Karah as wearing a black jacket with a white hood, carrying a sparkle backpack, and wearing pink rain boots; the pants she wore were listed as unknown at the time of the alert. The original appeal included the instruction: "If anyone has information regarding Karah's whereabouts, they are urged to contact the Kootenai County Sheriff's Office immediately."

Authorities posted an update at 9:16 p.m. stating, "Karah has been located and is safe." The follow-up notice added that "Authorities expressed gratitude to the public for their assistance." The Kootenai County Sheriff's Office did not provide further details in the update about where Karah was found, who located her, whether medical attention was required, or whether any enforcement action occurred.

The rapid resolution underscores how timely tips from neighbors and passersby can be critical to searches in Kootenai County's smaller communities. Athol Elementary and the surrounding neighborhood near 6th and Menser sit within a network of local streets where coordinated reporting and quick information-sharing between residents and law enforcement can shorten search times for missing children.

For anyone with additional information related to this incident or other ongoing concerns, the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office can be contacted at 208-446-1300. The sheriff's office main address is 2451 W. Dakota Ave., Hayden, ID 83835. The Kootenai County Jail is located at 5500 N. Government Way, Coeur d'Alene, ID 83814; its phone number is 208-446-1400.

Separate, older Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office release (unrelated to the Karah Kaley‑Smith case): an archived November 1, 2018 notice concerned Kathryn "Katie" Ogle, last seen at about 11:00 p.m. on the 6900 block of E. Ohio Match Rd near N. Rimrock Rd in Hayden. That 2018 release described Kathryn as 5'4" and 100 lbs with green eyes and blonde hair, wearing a grey sweatshirt and black pants, and noted multiple medical alerts and cognitive limitations. The archived case carried number #18-47524 and credited Sheriff Ben Wolfinger and Dep. B.A. Wolfinger; it instructed anyone who had seen Kathryn to call 911. These 2018 details are distinct from and not to be conflated with the Feb. 3, 2026 Karah Kaley‑Smith incident.

The quick recovery of Karah Kaley‑Smith offers immediate relief to parents and school staff in Athol. It also reinforces the practical value of clear, timely alerts and community cooperation in Kootenai County. Expect local officials or the sheriff's office to release further details if and when they can confirm additional facts about the circumstances of the recovery.