A young girl who vanished without a trace over 30 years ago while walking to a nearby stable has been found alive.
Christina Marie Plante disappeared from a small mountain community in 1994 when she was just 13-years-old.
Now 44-years-old, Ms Plante was located and identified this week, bringing an end to a decades-long cold case.
Ms Plante was last seen on May 15, 1994 after leaving her home in the Payson–Star Valley area northeast of Phoenix to walk to a nearby stable where her horse was kept.
An extensive search operation was launched at the time which involved law enforcement and volunteers, although this produced no viable leads.
In a statement released Wednesday, the Gila County Sheriff's Office said: “Utilizing advances in technology, modern investigative techniques, and detailed case review, detectives developed new leads that ultimately led to a breakthrough.
“After 32 years, Christina Marie Plante has been located alive. Investigators have confirmed her identity, and her status as a missing person has been officially resolved.”
Authorities credited cold‑case review initiatives with “bringing long‑awaited answers to families and communities.”
No further details about her circumstances will be released, the sheriff’s office said, out of respect for her privacy and wellbeing.
