Christina Maria Plante was last seen in 1994, when she left her Arizona home to walk to a nearby horse stable
Credit: Gila County Sheriff’s Office
NEED TO KNOW
- A missing teen has been located after vanishing without a trace from her Arizona home over three decades ago
- Christina Maria Plante was 13 years old when she was last seen on May 15, 1994
- The Gila County Sheriff’s Office did not release more information on the case out of respect for Plante’s privacy
An Arizona woman who was 13 years old when she was reported missing has been found safe more than three decades later.
Christina Maria Plante, now 44, was last seen on May 15, 1994, when she left her home in Payson, Ariz., to walk to a nearby stable where her horse was, the Gila County Sheriff's Office said. In 1994, authorities classified her disappearance as “endangered and under suspicious circumstances.”
In an update on Wednesday, April 1, the Gila County Sheriff's Office announced the "successful resolution" of Plante's case, adding that she was found alive after 32 years.
After Plante “vanished without a trace” from her hometown, law enforcement as well as volunteers rallied together for ground searches. However, despite interviews and other investigative efforts, there were no leads in the case, the sheriff's office said.
Plante was also entered into national missing children databases, but her case eventually went cold.
After establishing the Gila County Sheriff's Office Cold Case Unit, investigators reached a breakthrough that ultimately cracked the case, thanks to advances in technology and techniques.
“Investigators have confirmed her identity, and her status as a missing person has been officially resolved,” the Gila County Sheriff's Office said.
In their statement, the sheriff’s office credited cold case review initiatives for “bringing long-awaited answers to families and communities.”
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After thanking the investigators, researchers and all who contributed to locating the missing person, the sheriff’s office noted that no further information would be provided.
“Out of respect for Christina's privacy and well-being, additional details will not be released at this time,” the sheriff's office said. “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.”
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