A woman in Arizona who went missing 32 years ago, when she was just 13 years old, has been found alive, authorities said this week.
Christina Marie Plante was reported missing in May 1994 from Star Valley, Arizona, after she “vanished without a trace from her community”, according to a statement released on Wednesday by the Gila County Sheriff’s Office.
Investigators said that she was last seen leaving her home on foot to go to the stable where her horse was, and “was not seen again”.
At the time, her disappearance prompted an extensive search effort involving local law enforcement, volunteers and regional resources. But despite “exhaustive ground searches, interviews, and investigative follow-up, no viable leads were developed”, the Sheriff’s Office said.
Plante was entered into national missing children databases, and missing person flyers were distributed locally, statewide and across the country.
Over the years, the Sheriff’s Office said that investigators continued to periodically revisit the case, re-examining evidence and pursuing new information as it became available.
The Sheriff’s Office said that the creation of its Cold Case Unit “marked a renewed commitment to unresolved investigations” and that “utilizing advances in technology, modern investigative techniques, and detailed case review, detectives developed new leads that ultimately led to a breakthrough”.
Now, 32 years after her disappearance, the Sheriff’s Office announced on Wednesday that Plante had been “located alive”. Investigators said that they have “confirmed her identify, 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”.
“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,” the statement added.
