Missing Torrington sisters found safe, aunt arrested

TORRINGTON, Conn. (WTNH) -- Two missing Torrington sisters have been found safe and their aunt has been arrested on risk of injury charges, police said.

A silver alert was issued for the sisters, 5-year-old Ariana and 3-year-old Savannah Sturz, who were last seen on February 20th with their aunt, Jennifer Wheeler.

According to police, the girls' mother, 25-year-old Melissa Sturz, contacted police Thursday to report that her Wheeler, 27, had failed to pick her up at work in Canaan as planned.

Additionally, Sturz told police that her two girls were in Wheeler's care, and that she had last heard from her around 5 p.m. when she called to say she was on her way to Canaan, police said.

Sturz also informed police that her sister suffers from a drug addiction.

Around 9 a.m. Friday, Sturz contacted police to report that her sister had returned home with her children.

When police arrived on the scene, they found a crack cocaine pipe and other drug paraphernalia on Wheeler, police said.

According to police, the children appeared to be fine, but were transported to Hungerford Hospital to be examined as a precaution.

While investigating, police said they discovered that Wheeler had spent the night at a friend's home in Waterbury, in the company of the girls, and had ingested cocaine to the point where she was not capable of driving.

Wheeler was arrested and charged with two counts of risk of injury to a minor, two counts of reckless endangerment, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

She was held on a $75,000 bond.