Authorities in Arizona have confirmed that a woman who disappeared as a teenager more than three decades ago has been found alive.
Christina Marie Plante, who vanished aged 13 from the small mountain town of Star Valley in May 1994, has now been located at the age of 44.
The Gila County Sheriff’s Office announced the breakthrough on Wednesday, saying her identity had been verified and her missing person status officially resolved.
However, officials declined to reveal how she was found, citing respect for her privacy.
Plante was last seen walking to a stable where she kept her horse before she disappeared “without a trace.”
Despite extensive searches across the rugged terrain and repeated reviews of the case, no leads were established at the time.
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Her disappearance was described as suspicious, and early reports suggested she may have been abducted.
In addition, investigators have not disclosed the circumstances surrounding her absence or whether anyone will face charges.
The case remained cold but was never closed as detectives credit advances in technology and modern investigative techniques for generating new leads that ultimately led to her discovery.
Plante’s name had remained in the national missing children database for decades, with appeals continuing into the mid-1990s.
She was described as having a scar from heart surgery and considered “at risk.”
In a statement, the sheriff’s office said: “Utilising advances in technology, modern investigative techniques, and detailed case review, detectives developed new leads that ultimately led to a breakthrough.”