Nearly 32 years after a teenager disappeared in Arizona, authorities say she has been found alive. The Gila County Sheriff's Office on Wednesday announced investigators recently located Christina Marie Plante, who seemingly "vanished without a trace" from the mountain community of Star Valley (then Payson) in May 1994 at age 13. At the time, she was last reported walking to the stable where her horse was kept, prompting an extensive search and a flyer campaign, per NBC News. Without viable leads, the case eventually went cold.
The case was never closed, however, and was later moved to the department's cold case unit. "Utilizing advances in technology, modern investigative techniques, and detailed case review, detectives developed new leads that ultimately led to a breakthrough," the sheriff's office said. Citing Plante's privacy, officials are not releasing further details about where the 44-year-old was found, her current circumstances, or whether any criminal charges are expected. But "her status as a missing person has been officially resolved," the office said, per KPNX.