Missing daughter found, Price mother confirms

A Price woman confirmed Thursday that her missing 19-year-old daughter has been found alive and well in South Salt Lake.

However, Paula Birk told The Salt Lake Tribune she did not know whether Jacqueline Birk had any plans to return home, or to travel to a Salt Lake City hospital where her twin sister, Megan, was flown by helicopter late Wednesday due to complications from cancer and a recent heart transplant.

"I haven't been able to talk with her [Jacqueline], so I just don't know," Mrs. Birk said.

She said St. George police notified her at a St. George hospital emergency room Wednesday night, just before the flight to Salt Lake City, that Jacqueline had been found in South Salt Lake. "They said she was OK, that she was safe, but that's all I know," Mrs. Birk said.

South Salt Lake police spokesman Gary Keller said officers found the teen at a local motel, checked on her welfare and then left after she assured them she would contacted her mother.

Mrs. Birk had reported Jacqueline missing after she received a Facebook message from her asking for help on Sunday.

The mother says her daughter has a history of drug problems and also was finding it difficult to deal with her twin sister's health problems.

remims@sltrib.com