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A girl who vanished from a town in Arizona has been found alive, 32 years after her disappearance.
Christina Marie Plante was reported missing from Star Valley in May 1994. She was just 13 years old at the time.
She was last seen leaving her home to walk to the stable where her horse was kept before disappearing “without a trace.”
Her disappearance was classified as occurring under “endangered and suspicious circumstances,” sparking a major search operation. Volunteers joined police officers to scour the area, but despite “exhaustive ground searches, interviews, and investigative follow-up, no viable leads were developed,” sheriffs said.
Missing persons posters circulated across the state and the country detailed that she was last seen wearing a white T-shirt, multicoloured shorts, and black tennis shoes.
She was also entered into national missing children databases, but the case eventually went cold.
However, it was never closed, with investigators periodically reviewing evidence and pursuing new leads.
The case was later transferred to the Gila County Sheriff’s Office Cold Case Unit. The sheriff’s office said the creation of the specialised unit “marked a renewed commitment to unresolved investigations.”
Using modern technology and investigative techniques, detectives “developed new leads that ultimately led to a breakthrough.”
Now, more than three decades after her disappearance, the sheriff’s office announced this week that Christina has been found alive.
Investigators said they have “confirmed her identity, and her status as a missing person has been officially resolved.”
The sheriff’s office added that “out of respect for Christina’s privacy and well-being, additional details will not be released at this time.”
A statement added: “The Gila County Sheriff’s Office remains committed to pursuing all unresolved cases and encourages anyone with information regarding other cold cases to come forward.”
