Turquoise alert issued in Arizona to trace mother who fled with her 6-year-old girl from Hawaii

A statewide Turquoise Alert has been issued on Wednesday, July 23, in Arizona for 6-year-old Violet Coultas, a missing girl from Hawaii who was last seen at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport on July 12, according to the Arizona Department of Public Safety.

Authorities say Violet was accompanied by her mother, Sarah Coultas, who does not have legal custody of the child and is wanted for violating a court order.

Surveillance footage shows Violet at Sky Harbor around 10 p.m. MST on July 12 with her mother. The Hawai‘i Island Police had reported both Violet and Sarah missing on July 19, after the two were last seen together earlier on July 6 in South Kona, Hawaii.


Sarah Coultas, 48, is now the subject of an arrest warrant. She previously lived in Pa‘auilo, worked in Hilo, and may frequent the Kona and Ka‘ū areas.

Officials believe the pair may still be in Arizona, and possibly using a silver 2005 or 2006 Toyota Corolla with a faded hood. The license plate number remains unknown.

Description of missing child and suspect

Violet is described as a white female, 3 feet 10 inches tall, weighing 43 pounds, with blonde hair and hazel eyes. She was last seen wearing a white shirt, pink jacket, pink sweater, light-colored shorts, and white shoes.

Sarah Coultas is described as Caucasian, 5 feet 11 inches tall, 160 pounds, with straight brown hair and hazel eyes.

What is a Turquoise alert?

Arizona’s Turquoise Alert system was created under Emily’s Law, passed in May 2025 after the death of Emily Pike, a missing San Carlos Apache teen. The law was designed to address gaps in alert systems for missing persons under 65, particularly at-risk individuals and tribal members.

Turquoise Alerts are issued when a person under 65 goes missing under unexplained or suspicious circumstances, and authorities believe they may be in danger or accompanied by someone dangerous.

This is the first statewide Turquoise Alert issued since the system was established.

How is a Turquoise Alert different from an Amber Alert?

A Turquoise Alert differs from an Amber Alert primarily in who it aims to help and the circumstances involved.

While Amber Alerts are issued only for children under 18 who are believed to have been abducted and are in immediate danger, Turquoise Alerts apply to missing and endangered people under the age of 65, including tribal members, who have disappeared under suspicious or unexplained circumstances.

Importantly, Turquoise Alerts do not require proof of abduction, only that the individual may be in danger or accompanied by someone potentially harmful.