Challistia Colelay: Family says arrest made in White Mountain Apache girl's death

PHOENIX - An arrest has reportedly been made in connection with the death of a 16-year-old Native American girl whose remains were found earlier in November.

What we know:

News of an arrest in connection with the death of Challistia Colelay came from members of her family.

In a statement, they said they were told by law enforcement that the suspect is "a minor and not connected to the victim's family."

"This development marks a significant step towards justice for the family," read a portion of the family's statement. "While we take comfort in knowing that an arrest has been made, we recognize that the journey to healing and justice is still ongoing."

The other side:

We have repeatedly reached out to officials with the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) for comment on the matter, and they replied with the following statement:

"At this time, the BIA Office of Justice Services has not made any arrests in the Challistia Colelay investigation and the investigation remains active and ongoing.

The BIA Fort Apache Agency and the White Mountain Apache Tribal Police are continuing to investigate this case to bring closure to Challistia Colelay's family and community and justice to those responsible. The BIA is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the individual(s) responsible for the death of Challistia Colelay. For more information, please visit https://www.bia.gov/missing-murdered-cases/challistia-colelay.  

At this time, there is no indication or evidence to suggest that this case is connected to a serial offender. However, investigators are approaching this case with thoroughness and objectivity, considering all possibilities as they actively pursue all investigative leads. While there may be some similarities with other cases, American Indian and Alaska Native people are at a disproportionate risk of experiencing violence, murder, or going missing and make up a significant portion of the missing and murdered cases. For more information on the Missing and Murdered Indigenous People crisis and BIA’s actions to address it, please visit https://www.bia.gov/mmu. 

We want to assure the community that the BIA is treating this case with the utmost seriousness. All available resources, including investigative personnel, forensic experts, and specialized support teams, are being dedicated to identifying those responsible and ensuring they are held fully accountable. 
While we are moving as swiftly as possible, we are also committed to conducting a thorough and meticulous investigation. We understand the community’s concern and are working diligently to bring answers and justice in this case. 

Any members of the community with information related to Challistia Colelay's death are encouraged to please contact the BIA Missing and Murdered Unit Hotline by phone at 1 (833) 560-2065, by email at OJS_MMU@bia.gov, or by texting keyword BIAMMU and your tip to 847411."

The backstory:

According to our report on Nov. 5, Challistia reportedly went missing on Oct. 16. Her remains were found near the Knots Landing community in Whitewater, which is located within Navajo County, on Nov. 3.

The White Mountain Apache Police Department had previously asked the public to help identify the remains. Family members confirmed with FOX 10 Investigator Justin Lum on Nov. 5 that the remains were those of Challistia.

The death is being investigated as a homicide by authorities.

What's next:

We have been told that a candlelight vigil has been scheduled for Dec. 1.