A Little Girl Who Went Missing 32 Years Ago Was Just Found Alive, But The Mystery Only Deepens

Editor’s Note: This story was updated Friday, April 3, after investigators revealed new information on Thursday about the case. 

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An Arizona missing persons cold case turned into an investigative triumph when Christina Marie Plante was found alive after she disappeared more than three decades ago, the Gila County Sheriff’s Office announced Wednesday.

But not only is Plante alive and well, an investigator shared Thursday that the teenage girl actually ran away and has been secretly living another life since.

On May 15, 1994, the then-13-year-old left her home on foot in the small town of Star Valley, Arizona, to visit her horse at a nearby stable, authorities said. At some point after leaving her house, Plante vanished “without a trace” and was reported missing.

“At the time of her disappearance, extensive search efforts were conducted involving local law enforcement, volunteers, and regional resources,” authorities wrote in the statement. “Despite exhaustive ground searches, interviews, and investigative follow-up, no viable leads were developed.”

Her name was entered into national missing children databases and missing persons flyers were distributed throughout the country.

Until this week, the case remained active and ongoing, with investigators “periodically re-examining evidence and pursuing new information as it became available.”

Credit: Gila County Sheriff’s Office

It wasn’t until the sheriff’s office developed the Cold Case Unit with a “renewed commitment to unresolved investigations” that they reached a “breakthrough.”

Captain Jamie Garrett of the unit credits advanced technology and modern investigative techniques for the ability to have tracked down the now 44-year-old.

Garrett told NewsNation’s “Jesse Weber Live” on Thursday that she spoke to Plante on the phone, who confirmed she was the missing girl from Star Valley.

Garrett said she was “dumbfounded” after learning there was no kidnapping involved. Instead, Garrett shared that Plante made the decision to run away, with the help of other family members.

“I guess she wasn’t happy with where she was living and who she was living with, and she ran away,” Garrett said of the phone call.

Garrett told Weber that she shared with Plante the authorities thought something sinister had happened, “You know, we were under the impression that somebody kidnapped you. It was deemed a criminal offense.”

Plante, according to Garrett, didn’t give much information about how she ran away or where she has been, but confirmed she is living under a different name.

“She’s in her adult life. She has her family now. That’s not something she even thinks about,” Garrett said.

The sheriff’s office initially wrote in the statement is wasn’t going to release any more information “out of respect for Christina’s privacy and well-being.”

“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.”