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Christina Plante.Credit :
Gila County Sheriff’s Office
An Arizona woman who was 13 years old when she was reported missing has been found safe more than three decades later, according to authorities.
Christina Maria Plante, now around 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 a statement on social media.
Authorities initially classified her disappearance as “endangered and under suspicious circumstances.”
In an announcement on Wednesday, April 1, the Gila County Sheriff’s Office said there had been a “successful resolution” to Plante’s case: She was found alive after 32 years.
After the teen “vanished without a trace” from her home, law enforcement as well as volunteers rallied together for ground searches, the sheriff’s office said.
However, despite interviews and other investigative efforts, there were no leads in the case.
Plante was entered into national missing children databases, but her case eventually went cold.
According to the sheriff’s office, investigators ultimately reached a breakthrough that 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.
Further details were not available and the sheriff did not immediately respond to calls from PEOPLE.
In their statement, the sheriff’s office credited cold case review initiatives for “bringing long-awaited answers to families and communities.”
After thanking investigators, researchers and others who contributed to locating Plante, the sheriff’s office said that it would be honoring her desire to avoid the spotlight.
“Out of respect for Christina’s privacy and well-being, additional details will not be released at this time,” the sheriff’s office said.
They added that they remain “committed to pursuing all unresolved cases and encourages anyone with information regarding other cold cases to come forward.”
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