LINDON, Utah (KUTV) — Two young girls, ages 12 and 14, were found inside a refrigerated truck trailer following a crash on northbound I-15 on Wednesday.
Jacob Ortell Scott, 28, was arrested on suspicion of third-degree felony aggravated child abuse. Authorities confirmed the girls are siblings and clarified that they were not victims of trafficking.
According to Lt. Cameron Roden with the Utah Highway Patrol, a tractor-trailer, initially described as a dump truck, lost a tire that bounced over the wall, impacting two vehicles and causing minor injuries. As the tractor-trailer came to a stop, a semi-truck rear-ended a passenger car, further complicating the incident.
Troopers investigating the crash discovered “two sets of eyes” in the trailer, prompting inquiries to Scott, who acknowledged the presence of the girls. The troopers opened the trailer, finding the girls trapped inside with no means of escape.
Agents from the Utah State Bureau of Investigation and personnel from the Department of Child and Family Services reported the girls had been in the trailer since leaving Huntington, Utah, en route to Salt Lake City, a journey of nearly two hours. The trailer's thermostat was set at 30 degrees Fahrenheit, with temperatures dropping to 29.5 degrees.
Scott has since been booked into the Utah County Jail. The investigation is ongoing.